To Live, Love and Die in Paris
by Armadilloi
Summary: A continuation of sorts.
1. Chapter 1

ChuckParis

What if instead of staying on the plane for the return flight as ordered, Chuck takes Hannah up on her offer of touring Paris together? If you find Charrah in this, I'd like some of what you're smoking; my knee still aches from the accident. Perhaps in the final installment…we'll see. You Charahphiles, keep your witty barbs to yourself. Read and Review. It makes me post more often.

**Chapter 1 'Le Click'**

**Charles DeGaulle International Airport  
Outside Paris, France**

Chuck closed his phone, disappointment showing on his face. "I have to go back to L.A. The deal is off. The customer cancelled. I'm sorry. I'm in Paris and I can't even get off the damned plane!"

He looked at the small figurine replica of the Eiffel Tower. So close.

"Hannah…wait. Don't go yet. Meet me at the baggage claim. I'm in Paris and by God I'm going to stay in Paris." She shot him a beautiful smile and nodded. "Can't wait, Chuck."

He watched her leave the first class salon and marveled at his good luck. She was beautiful, open, funny and she liked him. Their mutual confessions had opened something in Chuck's heart that had been scabbed over since his return from Europe and his aborted stint in Spy School.

Maybe getting away from Casey and Walker, especially the Ice Berg, was what he needed to develop his intersect skills? Maybe Shaw was right and Walker was trying to slow or misdirect his progress toward being a real spy. Maybe cutting the emotional dependencies was exactly what he needed.

A new environment without the criticisms and emotional shards of his relationship with the blonde spy sounded like just the thing. He grimaced at his choice of words. Indeed, it had been 'his' relationship since she distanced herself from him after Prague at every turn.

He knew it would be OK. It wasn't like he was going to run into a Ring Executive or anything.

He dialed Shaw and spoke briefly and tersely, not at all Chuck-like.

"Agent Shaw, Bartowski. I'm staying in Paris for a while. I'm…yeah, I'm on vacation. I'll give the flash drive to the agents who claim the Ring operatives."

He listened as Shaw calmly explained the consequences of his actions. First, he was not pleased with Chuck's attitude. A spy followed orders. Secondly, he knew the General would be very angry since he was disobeying an order and he had no handlers or other security to keep him safe. Thirdly, Beckman might be so angry that she'll order a 'hard extraction' or even a sanction.

"Agent Shaw, get real. She wants to utilize what's in my head, that's all. She knows if I'm dead she has no intersect and if I'm imprisoned, she still has no intersect. I'll pull a John Gault. Now, I'm asking for 7 days, no more. I'll see you in L.A. on Tuesday. We'll see if you were right after all and that getting away from my emotional 'comfort zone' and handlers is all that was needed. I'm sure you are right, Agent Shaw. You've never led me astray, unlike the others."

"I'll tell Beckman I approved your 'vacation'. Don't let me down, Chuck. If something happens to you, it won't go well for me here."

He hung up, immensely pleased with himself but setting into motion a series of events that would tear the fabric of the Burbank-based team apart and set the partners at each other's throats.

* * *

Shaw called the cleanup team that would be handling Mr. Panzer and his associate.

"This is Shaw. Change of plans. First, meet Agent Bartowski at the aircraft arrival area and take possession of the flash drive. Then meet him again after he clears Customs and pass him a silencer-equipped weapon and magazines. The weapon is to be 'clean' and untraceable in the event he has to use it. Take Panzer and his associate to the Chateau for their physical exam."

As Chuck was deplaning he was met by an agent who gave him the code exchanges, took the flash drive and instructed him to accept a package from a street vendor immediately after clearing customs. The 'package' was clean and came with the necessary attachments. The man made the universal sign for 'pistol' and nodded.

* * *

**Baggage Claim**

Hannah had already claimed her bags and had also found Chuck's case and his luggage. She was looking the other way when he walked up beside her and whispered in her ear, "Hannah, I'm yours for the week. I need to find a cheap hotel though."

She jumped, startled, then smiled and nodded towards his bags. "No hotel, Chuck. You're staying with me. I have a sofa bed, so don't worry about being assaulted in your sleep." She giggled and blushed, surprised at her forwardness. It wasn't at all like her with guys. Normally, she was on her guard but there was something so open and honest about Chuck that her normal reticence was absent. There had been that strange 'vision' on the plane…

"OK, so lead on, Hannah. Cab, bus or walk?"

"Let's splurge and get a cab. We'll be walking enough this week. Paris is a city that has to be walked to be appreciated. Oh, Chuck, I'm so glad you're staying."

"Me too. I figured I'd catch hell for a last-minute vacation request but once I explained why I wanted it, the boss caved."

"Oh? And what explanation did you give?"

"I told him that I'd met a beautiful girl on the plane who invited me to stay and see Paris. Who knew Shaw was a closet romantic?"

As they were leaving the terminal, a man ran up to Chuck and gave him the package that he'd 'forgotten at Customs'. Chuck nodded and tucked the package into his tool case and forgot about it until later.

* * *

Shaw was explaining to the General exactly why he'd allowed Chuck to remain in Paris without his handlers. "General, I've tasked a cell based in Paris to keep an eye on our Agent Bartowski. I think maybe getting out and away from the suffocating presence of his current handlers is just the thing to help bring on the emotional maturity he lacks to control his flashes. It's not like he's going to run up against a Ring Executive or anything. Of all the European cities, Paris has the fewest Ring operatives. They consider France to be 'neutral' and avoid any noticeable presence."

"You've been correct so far, Agent Shaw. Let's see if you're correct this time. However, I want him shadowed by his handlers. They are not to make contact unless he's in danger. They are to observe and report, only. It's called a compromise, Shaw. Accept it or get him back here."

She had another reason but kept it to herself. She was secretly pleased that Bartowski was making the move despite the risk.

"I accept. Chuck is making progress and it will be enhanced by this experience, I promise you. I'll attend to the handlers myself, General. I'm quite familiar with Paris and have an apartment there that they can use."

* * *

**Castle Meeting  
Burbank, CA**

"You let the moron loose in Paris without handlers? Shaw, have you lost your mind?"

"You and Agent Walker will be shadowing him the entire time he's in Paris. Apparently he's met someone who's invited him to spend a week touring the city. I'll have a briefing packet prepared for you. Soon you'll know all you need to know about his companion. Also, I've activated a sleeper cell and given them responsibility for shadowing our young Agent and reporting directly to me. I'll be in constant contact with them and pass on any information immediately to the two of you. You'll be basing out of my apartment in Paris."

Sarah spoke up, somewhat mollified. "You feel this will be beneficial to him, don't you? What about the risk of him getting into trouble? This is Chuck Bartowski we're talking about, Daniel. He doesn't look for trouble but it seems to find him, anyway."

She was not going to let on that she was worried about Chuck, the person, not the Agent. The thing she saw developing between her and Shaw made her uncomfortable but Chuck was no longer an option in her mind. She didn't forgive easily – if at all.

"This is his idea, his decision. I'm as surprised as you are about his actions but they reflect a new maturity and confidence and this is what he needs, time to 'age' and rebuild his confidence. He's been in a slump for nearly 8 years and it's time he snapped out of it. This will be the catalyst. At least I hope so. My neck is on the chopping block if anything happens to him so make damned sure nothing does."

Casey didn't like Daniel Shaw but he respected the way he'd supported Chuck all along. He especially appreciated the extent to which Shaw was risking his career to give the Moron a chance at redeeming himself in the eyes of the spy world, especially a certain blonde spy. He could see something developing between Walker and Shaw and he didn't like it nor did he like the way she continued to punish the moron for being human.

* * *

**Paris**

Hannah's apartment was in an old section of the city. She told him that several movies had been filmed on location in her neighborhood including the Pink Panther, What's New, Pussycat and Moulin Rouge. The mansard roofs that were an icon of Paris lined the broad boulevard and Chuck smiled broadly when the cab turned up a one-way cobblestone lane with open-air cafes and vending stalls lining the way.

He was stunned when the cab stopped and Hannah rushed to open the ground floor door of her apartment. It was more like a townhouse with three floors although each floor only had two rooms.

He brought in the bags and paid the cabbie and walked back to the apartment. The ground floor contained the sitting room and the foyer and a large closet. Everything was just perfect in his mind. This was the Paris he'd wanted to see.

"C'mon, Chuck. I'll give you the grand tour. This is the 'salon' and I rarely use it. It's cold in winter and damp in the spring. The second floor contains the rooms I use the most, the kitchen and the office. The third floor has the two bedrooms and the bath. The sofa bed is in the smaller bedroom that I use to paint or just veg out."

"You paint? You maintain servers, travel around the world, you speak three languages and you find time to paint? Hannah, you're incredible."

"Stop. I can't paint well, but it's relaxing and I dabble, that's all. I'm happiest right here and I'll really miss it. C'mon, I'll show you my paintings after you unpack. Then I want to take you shopping for dinner. I want to welcome you to Paris properly. If you'll spring for the wine, I'll take care of dinner, OK?"

"You cook? I mean, really cook, food, y'know, not microwave up a mess of mac and cheese?"

"Yes, Mr. Bartowski, sir, I cook. I don't own a microwave. If I'm hungry, I cook. Sometimes I eat out but I got to watch the budget now. Anyhow, bring your bags up and unpack and then I'll show you my works of art." She laughed. "OK, I'll show you my paint by numbers without the numbers."

"Hannah, I don't know your last name. You know me better than I know you. You're not one of those divas with just one name, are you?"

She hesitated and then blurted out, "My father wouldn't marry my mother. I took her name. She's Eurasian, Vietnamese and French, my father is French. My stepfather is an American and I have passports in my name, Hannah Nguyen, and in my family name, Harris. My stepfather adopted me when I was 13 so I have dual citizenship."

"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. My folks split and left Ellie and I on our own. At least your mom stuck around, Hannah. Mine took off without ever looking back. She left us on Mother's Day. Kinda poetic. I was 15."

"I'm just sensitive to my mother's 'situation', that's all. Don't worry about it. I'll just be your Hannah, Chuck. That's good enough for me."

"Show me your paintings, Hannah Nguyen. I have a feeling they're a lot better than you let on. Is there anything you can't do?"

"I can't write my name left-handed. I can't whistle. I can't play the piano or the banjo. I can't…"

He laughed. "OK, I can't play the banjo or the piano either. Paintings, Hannah. No more delays."

She helped him unpack and pointed to the sofa bed. " I sometimes use it to pose my subjects, Chuck, but it folds out. It's comfortable and it's a nice sofa, too. Now, sit down and I'll conduct my 'showing'."

By the third painting it became obvious that not only was she a very skilled and talented artist but she also painted only nudes. He'd expected landscapes or still lifes, not nudes. She looked at him and smiled.

"This is my most recent work. It's not quite finished but I'd like you to see it." She walked over to an easel covered with a stained drop cloth and unveiled her unfinished painting. It was of her, on the sofa where he sat, with a sheet covering her from the waist down. On the corner of the easel was a photograph she painted from.

"My – my word. You're beautiful. I – I – I mean, your paintings are beautiful. I mean you and your paintings are beautiful. Incredible." He was blushing and it felt like his head was going to explode with embarrassment.

She covered her unfinished painting and sat down beside him. "Thank you. I've never shown them to anyone before. I think you're just being kind though. I'm sure…" He stopped her by placing his fingertips against her lips.

"Shhh. I meant what I said. They're beautiful and so are you. Now, before I really embarrass myself, let's go round up the ingredients for dinner and the wine. And if I forget to do it a thousand times while I'm here, Hannah, thank you. This is incredible. I would never have had the courage to stay if I hadn't had such a delightful companion to spend my week with."

"You're very welcome, Chuck." She kissed him, softly and her hands ran up his chest to his neck and she pulled him deeper into the kiss.

"There. Now you know that there was more to my invitation than just being nice. I mean I am nice, but I see something in you that I want, Chuck. So let's take this wherever it goes and just so you know, there's no one else in my life. There hasn't been for a while. I lost my job because I wouldn't be more than a troubleshooter for my boss. I was looking for a career and he was looking at having all his troubles fixed by the same girl, understand?"

"Yeah. That's disgusting. I don't understand how some people in power think they can do or have what they want without caring about the cost they inflict on others. You did the right thing, Hannah."

"You really mean that, don't you? I mean, I can tell you're not just saying it because you think it's what I want to hear."

"I know exactly how you feel, Hannah. Exactly."

The CIA and NSA wanted the same thing Hannah's boss wanted, only instead of keeping a job, it meant staying alive. Instead of sleeping with the boss, it was doing their dirty spy work. Either way, the powerless got screwed and the powerful got what they wanted.

* * *

Chuck followed behind her in the suddenly crowded lane. She held his hand and pulled him along. Every once in a while she'd stop, look at something, talk with the vendor and either haggle until she got what she wanted at the price she wanted or threw up her hands and pulled him farther along. He was carrying a cloth bag of vegetables, cheese, and bread and now she was looking for a chicken and a small ham.

He listened to her prattle on in rapid French and felt a tugging in his head and suddenly he understood some things she said. A few minutes later he understood everything! In French! He looked at his watch and decided he needed to time this new ability. If it appeared and disappeared as rapidly as some of his skills, it was relatively useless.

Twenty minutes later he bought a couple of bottles of wine and did it all in French. Hannah looked at him curiously but said nothing. This time he dragged _her_ along until he found a flower vendor and bought her a bouquet of spring flowers.

She cooked chicken cordon bleu and it was perfect. Everything about the day had been perfect. Now, if he could just make the contacts he'd been supplied with…

* * *

**Somewhere over the Atlantic**

Sarah Walker listened to music that Chuck had put together for her to help her 'relax and get centered' a year ago. It seemed to help her focus her thoughts as the music played in background. _'What do I want and what am I willing to do to get it?'_ That seemed to be the $64,000 question. She didn't know what she wanted. She did a scant 6 months ago but now she wasn't sure. She looked over at Shaw who sat beside her reading a report. Maybe he was what she really _needed _as opposed to what she thought she _wanted._

John Casey looked over at his partner and shook his head. She was so unfocused lately and that lack of focus leaked over into her performance. When she and the Nerd were jerking each other around her performance was superb but now it lacked spontaneity and finesse. She was becoming like Shaw and if that happened, he'd petition Beckman for a transfer or a new partner. He hated everything Daniel Shaw represented which was strange because most people would say that Daniel Shaw was the CIA's version of John Casey.

Daniel Shaw turned the pages of the report but his mind was running through the steps he'd taken already to handle the 'Bartowski issue'. He'd activated his sleeper team in Paris and he'd pulled together the dossier on Chuck's 'companion'.

Walker would be 'sore vexed' when she received her briefing packet at the airport. That was a nice way to say 'pissed off' but Daniel rarely used profanity. It was unprofessional and his wife had not approved of such language. His thoughts of Eve brought Walker to mind. Eve was dead these many years but Daniel was still very much alive and Walker was available with the right direction and prompting. He allowed a slight smile and then went back to not reading the report.

**The Chateau  
CIA Prison  
France**

When Hugo Panzer had been taken into custody, the agents had removed all his clothing and removed all his jewelry including the false tooth that contained a powerful poison. When the watch had been off his wrist for 60 minutes a fail-safe device sent a special signal and then the watch melted into a lump of plastic, gold and aluminum. The signal was picked up and a sleeper cell, almost identical to the one Shaw had activated, was brought on line by one of the few Ring agents operating openly (for spies) in Paris. The cell was tasked with the rescue of Mr. Panzer and his female associate.

* * *

**Hannah's Apartment**

He was still on California time and sleep was hard in coming. He stood in front of the open French doors watching the City of Lights slowly awaken. He called Ellie because he needed a favor and she had his financial power of attorney.

"Chuck! Where are you?" _'She must be at work'_, he thought.

"Paris and I've got a week off. Ellie, don't yell but I'd like you to go down to the bank and clear out my savings account and wire me the money in care of American Express here in Paris. I don't want to live like a peasant and this is a once in a lifetime experience and that's why I saved the damned money in the first place."

"I think that's wonderful, Chuck and have a great time, little brother. I'll get right on it. You'll have the money tomorrow. Be safe and don't let the French girls corrupt you, sweetie. You know the reputations those European beauties have. Have fun."

Only Ellie could pack approval, big-sister warnings and best wishes into a 30-second 6-sentence paragraph.

He'd saved for this trip for a long time. He had over $8,000 in savings. It was originally his 'car fund', then it was his 'vacation fund' and after an infusion of cash left over from Ellie's wedding, it became his 'escape fund'.

Knowing what he did now about how the spy life worked, the first place any one would look for his intentions were his finances. He didn't worry about that now. He'd made his intentions clear from the start and he had approval from 'on high'.

Hannah would show him her Paris and she wouldn't pay for a damned thing. He had money and he had a reason to spend it and someone to spend it on. Money, motive and opportunity. He laughed to himself and then dressed and went downstairs quietly and let himself out. He was going to buy her breakfast. And flowers.


	2. Chapter 2

ChuckParis2

_A/N: Whoa, the minions of the Shippers have assaulted in force. Tough._

_I'm waiting for a connector to Cleveland and then am spending the holiday weekend with Nik. Nothing until next Tuesday when I have to wait for TSA to get off on sniffing my florsheims.__Don't review if you don't have an account. It's hard to respond when you've blocked PMs or just didn't log in. Especially when your comment absolutely CRAVES rebuttal. Very unsatisfying for an author._

_Reference to calling Walker well Walker. Depersonalizing. Try it._

_Read7585, keep your frozen Cannuck mitts offa my lady. NO MORE PMS to Nik! I have a vague idea where you live._

_Enigmamdw, so be it. Note my genesis of the Ring in this chapter._

_King Chuck – welcome back to good health. We missed ya, Dutchman._

* * *

Chapter 2 – The Old Man, Abandonment Issues and Conflicts in the Team

* * *

Jacques Dubois was an unusual man. He was a wealthy man. Not unusual in this day and age. He was a veteran of the Legion Étagère and a French citizen. He had served France and was granted citizenship when he was discharged honorably for medical reasons.

His birth name, of course, was _not_ Jacques Dubois. That was the name he adopted when he joined the Legion in 1964 at 19. He'd almost forgotten his real name – Rupert Callahan – and that he was from Northern Ireland and had left during the 'troubles' one step ahead of the authorities. The Legion had provided him with a home and a new identity when he needed one badly.

He had no family but like so many Legion veterans he did have a child. He had loved her mother with an almost Gallic passion but never married her. She was gone now, to America, but his daughter lived in France and worked for a company his organization controlled.

His organization. A fact but not a truth. He was Director General of what had begun as a loose network of affiliated intelligence operatives who'd exchanged information without the knowledge of their respective agencies or governments. At first it had been a matter of survival but soon it became more. There was money in information and nations were willing to pay well for such information if it proved valid and reliable.

Dubois had been 'noticed' in the earliest phases of Legion training and had been taken aside and put into a different training regimen. While others learned to march and did rifle drill, he was taught the skills necessary to shoot a man at very long distances.

When he mentioned that he had some familiarity with explosives he was trained in the art of bomb making. His training was much longer than the average Legion recruit but it made no difference to Dubois. He had found a home and a family.

He soon was paired with a partner, a German, and together they roamed Asia, Africa and other places where La Belle France had interests and they protected those interests. An assassination here, a bomb in a marketplace there, a dictator bribed or threatened there, it was his job and he did it well.

He did it so well that he attracted the attention of other intelligence operatives and thus began a long association with a cabal of spies who exchanged information, unofficially assisted in tasks and became more loyal to one another than to their homelands. All except Jacques Dubois who maintained a steadfast loyalty to the country that had given him shelter, an identity and purpose, and ultimately a home.

This loyalty to his adopted country was what made him 'unusual' in the context of the cabal. It was his steadfast refusal to allow any actions by any 'members' of the spy ring to act from within or against France that made him the perfect one to head the organization and act as its final arbiter of disputes, policies and actions.

He became a bureaucrat within a nonexistent bureaucracy, something of an oxymoron, but incredibly effective.

The cabal or spy ring or The Ring, as it became known, profited from fomenting political or economic disruptions that benefited their paying clients, usually but not always governments.

A client country wishes to distract a potentially stronger adversary and the Ring creates a political scandal or economic panic as a distraction. An industry representative asks for an easing of regulations regarding mining in some backwater nation and suddenly the president, premier or chieftain becomes ill, rich, or dead and regulations change.

Country A wishes to obtain the intelligence data of Country B and the Ring will compromise, subvert or recruit operatives in Country B's intelligence service and provide the data. The Ring sometimes would provide the information to a 3rd party, Country C, with an interest in Countries A & B, for a fee, of course.

All very lucrative. All very dangerous. All performed by Ring operatives directed by a leadership council of Directors known together as the Directorate and headed by one man, a cripple, known only as the Ring Director General.

Jacques Dubois.

* * *

**Chateau Almandine**  
**15km SW of Paris**

"Director, Mr. Panzer and his associate have been freed from the Chateau as you ordered and both are waiting outside for your disposition." The man was one of his bodyguards. He and several others rescued the operatives captured on the plane from the Chateau, a notorious 'off the books' CIA detention facility.

"Are they well enough to speak with me?"

"Yes. The preliminaries had hardly begun."

"Show them in to the outer office and bring refreshments for them. They've had a hard time of it."

Hugo Panzer and the woman who had been his backup were escorted into the office and given refreshments and told to 'sit and wait' for the Director. The woman blanched and sat, thinking her life was over. Panzer sat comfortably waiting. He knew that failure was 'not an option' but the Director was a fair man, something that both surprised and impressed him when he'd first joined the organization.

Dubois was handling a personal problem. His daughter had been summarily fired from her job and was in Paris to close out her apartment and go home to the US. His investigators had determined that the swine that was her boss expected more from her than her superior computer skills and when she refused, he sacked her. He would die in a motor accident. A shame.

He loved his daughter even though they had only met three times since last seeing her when he and her mother parted and each of those times he'd passed himself off as someone else. She thought her father was dead. He encouraged that. It protected her from his enemies and protected him from those same enemies who wouldn't hesitate to use her to kill him.

He reviewed the surveillance photos his investigators had obtained from the airport. She was traveling with a young man, an American, who was staying with her at her apartment in Paris. A few hundred Euros later and the investigator obtained all the information available on her fellow passenger. There were a few discrete phone calls and the investigators verified that he was also a computer technician in Paris to do a complicated installation of equipment.

In a few hours he would know everything there was to know about Charles Bartowski of Burbank, California. He looked again at the photographs and shook his head. This one had better behave or he'd never see Burbank, California again.

Scooping up the photographs and the other information, he entered the outer office to greet his guests.

After an hour of conversation he'd reached his decision. There was nothing his operatives could have done, short of destroying the aircraft, to have accomplished their mission. There was no fault here. He authorized each a hefty bonus for their ordeal with the CIA and asked again for a description of the young man who'd bested them. It tickled something in the back of his brain.

He reached for the folder but brushed it onto the floor instead accidentally. Since the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, his movements were awkward.

The woman jumped to retrieve the folder and it's scattered contents and showed a photograph to Panzer.

"Director, why are you asking for description of the man when you have his photograph already? This is the man we tangled with. A formidable opponent who used a ruse of being a frightened and clumsy fighter to take me out not once but twice. Watch out for this one, Director."

"You are certain of this?"

"Yes, Director, certain."

They met for another hour. No, he did not 'use' the young woman he was flirting with. Yes, it seemed authentic. His emotional responses were too spontaneous and genuine to be faked. Yes, the young woman approached him, not the other way around. Yes, he did seem protective of her and he risked his life to keep her out of the 'business'.

He thanked them and dismissed them. He had more important things to deal with.

'_Oh, Hannah, what have you gotten yourself involved in? Who is this young man and why is he staying with you? What are you doing?'_

He summoned his personal aide and issued instructions. "I wish to meet with this young man and ask him for a personal favor. Pick him up and bring him to the Café Lafayette at 11pm on Thursday night. Do not do anything to alert my daughter, Henri."

"She must not know of my involvement with him. He is staying with her at her Paris apartment. Be gentle with him, Henri. Until I know different, he's just Hannah's beau. Treat him as such. No heavy hands, understand?"

They had 3 days to assemble a complete dossier on Charles Bartowski. He would be prepared for his meeting with the man who was staying with his daughter.

* * *

**Hannah's apartment**  
**Paris**

Chuck was locked out and he had his hands full. Dropping one bag and balancing the coffees, he rang the bell repeatedly. '_Damn, the girl could sleep through a Jester concert.'_

Finally he heard a small voice ask 'Who's there?'

"Hannah, it's Chuck. I brought breakfast but I locked myself out. Can you let me in? Or just throw my stuff off the balcony?" He was kidding. She sounded upset about something.

The door flew open and she dragged him inside leaving the door wide open but not caring. She'd been crying, thinking he'd left her, and she threw herself around him, almost spilling the coffee. _'Jesus, talk about abandonment issues.'_

"Hey, I just slipped out to surprise you with breakfast. It's outside on the ground by the way unless a homeless person snatched it up. Can you let me get it?"

She backed off, suddenly realizing she'd thrown on just a kimono and it wasn't fastened properly and she was 'baring her wares' as her mother used to tease her. "Sorry, sorry, I just thought you'd left. I didn't see your bag and the bed was folded back up and…"

"Hey, I wouldn't leave without a goodbye and I just got here. My sister taught me to be a good houseguest, that's all. Let's eat. I should have left a note but I didn't want to dig around in your things looking for something to write on. Sorry."

"No. I overreacted. I don't know why I'm so clingy with you. I'm not normally that way at all it's just that…I just met you and I thought you might have gotten the wrong impression from the paintings and the kiss…"

"Hey. I don't love 'em and leave 'em. They always leave me. This is a surprising and pleasant change for me. Feel free to cling. It's not often that beautiful women throw themselves at me. In fact, beautiful women have never thrown themselves at me…and really meant it."

He thought of Walker and how the warmth in their relationship had cooled to the point of frostbite.

"I'm not beautiful. Look at me, I'm a mess and you must think I'm some kind of psycho stalker or something. I'm sorry. I'm just so emotional lately. I really am sorry, Chuck. I'll get you a spare key so when you sneak out you won't worry about waking me when you get back."

She started walking away but he turned her around and put his arms around her. "I meant what I said, Hannah. This is a first with me so I'm trying not to screw things up, OK? I'm sorry I upset you. I wanted to do something nice for you so I slipped out to get you breakfast so you wouldn't have to do anything out of the ordinary." He hugged her and then let loose but she stayed leaning against him.

"Mmm, you give good hugs, Chuck."

"You're weak from hunger, woman. Lead me to the kitchen."

* * *

**Vacant Apartment**  
**200 meters away**

"Well, someone sure has a way with the ladies. According to Shaw he just met her yesterday and she's greeting him as if he's a lost lover. Some guys have all the luck."

"Note the time. I got the photo. I'm emailing this to Shaw and then I'm heading out for a closer look at the apartment in case they want bugs. These old places are hard to bug without having a lot of time. We may have to settle for audio only for a while."

"Not our call. Shaw will tell us what he wants."

**Shaw's Paris Apartment**

"OK, there are three bedrooms. Unpack and let's see what the sleeper cell has for us so far? Colonel Casey, there's a weapons locker in that bedroom. I'd like you to review the contents and let me know if there's anything we might need that we don't have."

Shaw fired up his laptop and opened his secure email and read the report from the sleeper cell and viewed the attached photos. His grunt would have done Casey proud.

'_Bartowski, what are you doing and how did you manage to find a warm woman in only 16 hours? There's more to you than simple first impressions apparently.'_

Sarah was reading over his shoulder, her fingertips lightly grazing his neck in a subtle caress. He knew exactly when she saw the photo of Chuck and a beautiful half-naked young woman. His smile was genuine while the young woman seemed to have been upset by something. The next shot was of the couple embracing and it was obvious to Shaw from Chuck's body language that he was uncomfortable about something.

'_Don't tell me he's still carrying a torch for Walker? Maybe Casey's right. Maybe he is a moron. Walker's interest now is purely professional but she does seem to hinder his progress. Is it retribution for something that happened before I arrived on the scene?"_

"Well, I see the moron has fallen in with a fast crowd. How long's he been here? 15 or 16 hours? Boy works fast and furiously. She seems attracted to him, wouldn't you say, Sarah?" _Take that, CIA. Your days of jerking the Nerd around by his dick are O-V-E-R._

"Get stuffed, Colonel. She's obviously a pro. Probably picked him up at the airport. I thought he had more sense…" _'…And better taste.'_

"Enough! Let's get organized. I'll stay here and coordinate things with the sleeper cell and find out all I can about this young woman who's has so captivated our young agent. You two go out and start setting up the surveillance and the tail. I have a driver downstairs who knows the area and is fluent in English."

"Ah, Shaw, why the sniper rifle in there? You figure on taking out a bad guy?" Casey loved gunplay and the 'any-light' scoped sniper rifle felt so good to him. The smooth barrel and the wooden stock, the sight picture using any light available, the laser aiming point…

"No. You'll use it to set up a safe zone around Chuck. However, if Chuck strays from the fold, you'll take him out with it, Colonel."

He smirked at the conflicted look on Casey's face but schooled his features when he heard Walker's almost unvoiced gasp. '_There is still something there. I'll have to work on that. She's weak and I can't have a weak agent as a partner – or a lover.'_

_APR_


	3. Chapter 3

ChuckParis2a

A/N: A short one but one of you is having fits about the 'fit' and so here's something to help the powerless ones hang on until Tuesday. The weather here is cold and nasty.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – The Eiffel Tower vs The Tales and Tails**

Hannah was determined that Chuck should see every aspect of Parisian life but especially the nightlife. After a late lunch, she told him to dress 'business casual' and then they'd hit the Eiffel Tower and grab a snack and then she'd drag him down into what the local young people called 'the underground'.

"That's fine but I need to buy something first, Hannah. I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier."

"And that would be what, Mr. Bartowski?" She couldn't imagine anything he'd need more than clothes, money and her.

"A camera. No one will believe that I met a beautiful woman in Paris. The camera will prove it, sweetie."

She sighed. He seemed so…tentative about them. She knew he was the one foretold and by God she would make him see it. She'd drag him to bed and screw the idea into his mind. Blushing. She was sure she was blushing. The nuns would be shocked and so ashamed of her if they knew her thoughts.

They made their way through the streets to the Eiffel Tower where Chuck filled a flash drive with pictures of the city in a 360-degree series. Then he started on pictures of her and of them. She asked a German tourist to take their picture and when he had started returning the camera she interrupted him for 'one more'.

She put her arms around his neck and dragged him down for a passionate kiss. The difference in her 5'4" and his more then 6 feet made for an interesting meld of their bodies. She could hear the digital camera do its 'click-whir' several times and blessed the man for his romantic inclinations. She'd copy the pictures to her hard drive and then paint the best of them for herself.

* * *

Sarah and Casey waited in a park across from the Tower and drank coffee. Her leg was bouncing nervously and she was becoming very impatient with this whole mission.

She had no problems protecting the asset but had huge problems with his current behavior. When had he become so smooth with the ladies? More and more she was convinced she was a prostitute who had latched on to him in the airport.

"Walker, calm down. Enjoy this while it lasts. It's only a matter of time until the moron screws up with her and we can go home. And quit hoping she's a prostitute. That's not Chuck's style. Her background check is being compiled and we'll know everything there is to know about this Hannah woman by tomorrow. Until then, just let him enjoy himself. He's had it rough these past 2 years. Let him enjoy himself."

Sarah didn't reply. She was angry with her partner for his attitude, at Shaw for his vacillating indifference toward her, and most of all she was angry with Bartowski for making her feel jealous. She was not jealous. She couldn't be. She'd purged the moron from her being. She had moved on. He couldn't hurt her any longer. Could he?

* * *

**Surveillance Vehicle – Shaw's sleeper cell**

"Those two are headed for trouble. You mark my words. Even from here you can see the friction between them. Who ever made that partnership decision is an idiot. The woman is on the edge of doing something rash while the man is totally relaxed and blends in with the background. One would think the Agencies would do a better job of matching partners."

"They are not our problem. Our problem is the young man and his lady. Keep focus. In these crowds they could disappear in a moment."

_Ring Agent #3_

'The Director has a daughter? Interesting and perhaps worth some money if the word is placed in the right ears. Who knew he had a daughter?'

_Ring Agent #2_

The German 'tourist' returned the camera to the couple and chuckled to himself. _'One more, indeed. This young man is trying to be a gentleman in the face of such a determined onslaught from one so young, beautiful and obviously in love. The Director will be pleased that he is trying to be proper in spite of such delicious temptations. Ah, to be young again.' _

_Ring Agent #1_

'_Henri was right. There is more to this man than meets the eye. His eyes are constantly roaming, cataloging and examining those around him. He has an unusually high level of situational awareness for someone 'not in the business'. _

He knows the exact moment the man tags him as someone he needs to watch. There was a very slight blinking of the eyes and then he glances away but moves his young lady out of the direct line of fire. It was a gallant thing to do in this business where the welfare of innocents is secondary to the mission.

* * *

Chuck flashes on the German tourist. His name is Gunter Muntz and he was once an East German intelligence operative but was furloughed when the country reunited. These have been no entries in his file since 2002. Unconsciously, he moves himself between the German and Hannah while nodding his thanks. The man is a current Ring Operative.

Moments later he flashes again on another older man. This man is dangerous. He was recruited by the Ring from MI6 and was an operative with a string of successful disruptions and assassinations. Cecil Smythe-Davis disappeared in Cyprus in 2004 and is listed by MI6 as 'presumed dead'. _His left sleeve is empty and he limps, an easy tail to mark so why is he following us?_ Unconscious of doing it, he steps between the one-armed man and Hannah. His posture radiates danger and the Ring operative winks and leaves.

"Chuck, let's go get something to eat and take it over to the park and sit for a while and plan our remaining day. I'd like to take in the underground. See the older side of Paris. OK, honey?"

"Lead on, trusty guide. Just don't forget I'm new to all this and you're the native." There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to make her happy. She was a marvelous companion for a vacation and he kept his 'other thoughts' in background. Slowly but surely, without really realizing it, he was becoming 'compromised' and his actions in the next few days would show it.

* * *

"Casey, this is ridiculous. I'm a trained agent not a damned baby sitter. Why are we being used to follow Chuck around when the local CIA is better equipped and more familiar with the people and the city?"

"Wasn't so long ago you had a problem with Chuck going to the bathroom without you and now you're bitching about watching him while he's on vacation in a foreign city with a unknown civilian. Since you're no longer 'compromised' it must be that you're bored with this assignment and no longer feel the need to protect him. Maybe, Walker, it's time to request reassignment. You're losing your edge insofar as commitment to the mission is concerned."

"I'm bored. Paris is beautiful but boring when I'm not with someone I can let loose with. Certainly not you, Colonel Casey. As for requesting reassignment, I'll discuss that if nothing happens on the 'Daniel front'. Why walk away from opportunity?"

Casey kept his mouth shut. If he said what he was thinking, what anyone with two brain cells would be thinking if they knew the situation… Walker was wallowing in sour grapes and adopting an attitude of 'who cares, I didn't really want him'.

"In the mean time, Agent, just do your damned job. And keep Shaw out of the partnership. His only positive traits that I can see are a hatred of the Ring and his support for Chuck."

She sniffed, dismissing everything he said. She had her priorities straight.

* * *

Hannah selected the lunch, a light wine and Chuck bought it and some glasses and they walked over to the park. Casey saw them coming out of the corner of his eye and cursed his lack of attention. Dealing with Walker was proving to be a distraction they couldn't afford.

"Let's move, Walker. Here come Chuck and his lady friend. Don't want him to make us and then feel obligated to make contact. That's not why we're here."

"Let's head over to that bistro and eat something light. No telling when we'll get the chance. He's been all over the map today, following her like a dog in heat."

"Walker, keep the comments like that to yourself. They are unprofessional and you're letting your feelings shine through the agent shroud you've wrapped yourself in. We'll grab something for our driver, too. He's been very patient with us." _'Mostly with you, you sanctimonious witch. You've criticized everything and everyone on this project.'_

* * *

Chuck scanned the park, looking for anything or anyone out of the ordinary. He could almost feel the eyes on them. He'd left his pistol in his tool case and now wished he'd brought it along although how he would carry it was a mystery.

'_I don't think there's a place above the waist that she hasn't held, rubbed or fondled. Not that I mind but it will make weapons concealment a challenge.'_

He easily spotted the one-armed man and wondered if he was so open and blatant because he was the bait, something to distract him from the real enemy.

"So, Chuck, what did you think of the Eiffel Tower? Live up to it's rep?"

"Oh, yeah. It was great. The view of the city was fantastic! You being with me made it special. Thank you."

"Flatterer."

"It's the truth so it's not flattery."

"Quit trying so hard, Chuck." She was laughing. "I'm ready to sleep with you whenever you're ready but quit trying so hard to avoid what you have to be feeling."

He stammered, looking like a deer caught in the spotlights of a poacher's truck. Shit. How did it get this far?

"Hannah, we just met and I know you feel…"

"Stop it. I was just teasing you. But I didn't lie to you. I'm yours whenever you want me, sweetheart. I was just teasing you. You look so…innocent with that wide-eyed look on your face. The 'oh, crap' look that I love. It's so…you."

They continued joking but Chuck avoided any opportunities for her to pounce on 'us' again. She was delightful and any other time he'd have been trying his damnedest to get her between the sheets but this was not the time although Paris was certainly the place for it.

'_Why are there so many people following us? Have I been made? Been careless? Is…Is Hannah an unknown part of the Ring? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.'_


	4. Chapter 4

ChuckParis3

E/N: I'm posting this for him. He's gone for the week. NO, I don't know when he'll put up another chapter.

NikB

* * *

Chapter 4 – No Good Deed Goes

* * *

Hannah's Apartment  
Paris 2pm Thursday

He watched her paint with deft movements of the tip of the brush, a flick here with a palette knife, a feathering brush stroke to enhance a shadow or blend a color. It was like watching a well-choreographed ballet. He could watch her all day and not get tired of it. There was something about the way she moved as she painted, as if she was stalking the canvas, looking for imperfections.

It was incredibly sexy and he caught himself looking more at her ass than the portrait, probably because she was concentrating on the breasts in the painting. Life had too many choices all of a sudden but all of them were beautiful.

"Chuck, you're really weirding me out. Please don't stare at me. You make me feel…"

"Beautiful. I want to make you feel as you are, Hannah. Beautiful. I have to go to the American Express office, will you give me directions?"

"Better than that, Chuck. I'll take you there. I'm done here for today. If I stay much longer I'll render a killing stroke and have to throw the canvas out."

"Killing stroke?"

"An artsy-fartsy term for when an artist overdoes it. Too much paint, too much shadow, just too much and it kills the painting."

"I'll just stare at it while you're getting ready. I could look at it all day if you weren't around."

She walked over and covered the canvas with a drop cloth. "But I am around."

"Yeah, so I'll stare at the original instead."

She popped him in the arm. "Flatterer."

* * *

American Express Office  
Paris

"You have a check for Charles Bartowski?"

The clerk went to verify Chuck's claim information with the submitted form and returned with his check.

"Would you like this in dollars or Euros, Mr. Bartowski?"

"$2,000 in Euros and the balance in Euro travelers' checks, please." He didn't want to carry that much cash and travelers' checks were accepted almost everywhere.

He countersigned the checks and put them away and put the cash in his wallet, secured inside his coat pocket. He retained some things from spy school.

"What would you like to do now, Chuck?" She didn't want to hog his time but she did want to spend as much of it together as he'd allow. She felt drawn to him and that was not at all like her.

"It's spring, I'm in Paris with a mysterious and beautiful woman. Where else would I go but…souvenir shopping for my sister and friends? Know of any unique but cheeeeeeeep shops?" She laughed at his emphasis.

"You go on the cheap with your sister, Chuck?"

"I paid for her wedding, the reception and I paid for half the honeymoon. She knows not to expect a lot."

She looped her arm through his. "Wow, are you independently wealthy? Why are you working, my rich man?"

"It was a one-time government job that paid a lot. It came at just the right time. She and her husband are finishing up their residencies in California and then who knows? They've got student loans out the wazoo and so I sprung for the wedding. She's my sister and she's done a lot for me."

"That's sweet of you. Now, souvenirs? Let's see. Follow me, rich man."

Two hours and $500 later, he was done. They were walking past a 'dram shop' when he spotted something unique and immediately thought of Jeff at the Buy More.

"One more thing."

He emerged with a silvered titanium drinking flask that the clerk had asked a ridiculous amount for and Hannah had haggled him ragged. She told him he was a fool to pay the price on the tag. Everyone haggled in France. It was the national pastime.

He put the flask in his inside coat pocket because he had one hand full of shopping bags and the other was wrapped around Hannah.

**Surveillance Van**

"Well, Walker, looks like our boy is really enjoying his Parisian outing. He's spending money on souvenirs for the gang back in Burbank. Wonder what he got us?"

"I didn't see him buy a 'French to Grunt' dictionary, Colonel."

"I didn't see him buy a French broom for his favorite witch either, Walker."

"Let it go, Casey. He had his chance and opted to take the 2.0; now it's history. He failed spy training in spite of all the 'easys' Beckman threw his way. I should have known he'd blow it. He's too unstable and immature."

"Yeah, obviously. And that's why you're standing between him and Shaw on issues affecting the intersect? Well, watch your ass around Shaw, Agent Walker. It's obvious he's set his sights on you."

"He's…nice. Professional and predictable. I need that in my life, Casey."

"You forgot 'boring'. And self-centered, narcissistic, sociopathic. Yeah, exactly what you need in your life. Didn't you learn anything from the Larkin mess? Chuck's not going to wait around, Sarah. He's not blind, or deaf and he knows how you are. Remember Cole Barker? Chuck does. I'm not going to ever bring it up again. I've said my piece. If you ended it with the moron, fine. Just don't weep and wail and rend your garments when he hooks up with Carina or Lou or one or more of the others who've been interested in him. Hell, even Alex from the 49B thought he might be interesting."

"John, I'm glad you're not ever going to bring it up again. I'd hate to have your death on my conscience."

He grunted and smiled. '_Score one for Casey. She's thinking. That's a start at least.'_

After dropping off the bags at her apartment, they walked around the square until nearly nine and Hannah suggested dinner even though it was early. "Early? It's nearly nine, Hannah."

"You're in Europe now, Chuck. People eat late here and sometimes eat again around midnight. We can grab a bite and then go find a club or someplace we can dance."

"What's wrong, Chuck? Why the long face?"

"I'm not a great dancer and the faster the music the worse I get."

"That's good because we're going to the Moose. It's a 60s theme with lots of slow hugging music. My favorite kind."

"The slower the better."

* * *

They ate dinner at a little bistro not far from the apartment. It had just started to rain when they walked out and Chuck went in search of an umbrella vendor. They'd been all over the place earlier in the afternoon.

'_Figures they'd be gone when it rained'._

He was walking back towards the bistro when a car pulled up and two men shoved him into the backseat and drove off. His first thought was 'Fulcrum' followed quickly by 'Oh, shit. The Ring!'

* * *

The sleeper cell operative saw the snatch and notified Shaw as per protocol. He called Casey who answered with "We saw it, we're on it. We're 50 yards behind them and they're…shit, damn it, Walker, drive this hearse. They've got Chuck and we missed the damned turn!"

"It's these damned French and their damned weaving in and out of traffic. We almost got tagged by that damned taxi. There! There they are! Watch for turns, Casey, while I push this piece of shit up beside them!" She hated the van and its wimpy 2-cycle engine.

* * *

The goon in the front passenger seat turned around and said, "Do not worry, Mr. Bartowski. We are not going to harm you. Someone wishes to talk with you and ask a favor. You will be returned in moments but I would advise you to do as he asks."

"Does this 'someone' have a name?" He was stalling for time, trying to figure out how to escape from a moving vehicle. The only info provided by a flash was ineffective in his current situation. He didn't _have_ a bullet proof vest to wrap around his head to prevent fatal injuries.

"That is for him to tell you. Now, here we are, safe and sound. The Café Lafayette. See the older gentleman sitting under the awning? That is him. Please, go join him. We will be waiting here to return you to your lovely companion."

Café Lafayette  
Paris

"Good evening, Mr. Bartowski. Can I order something for you?" Jacques Dubois liked what he saw in Hannah's young man. He had an aura of danger about him. It was obvious he was angry.

"My friend is alone and probably thinks I dumped her. She's got issues, bad issues, with abandonment so let's cut the crap and get on with it. What do you want? I don't mean to seem surly or rude, but I'm worried about Hannah."

"Ah, good. I like that. So this Hannah, you've known her a long time?"

"No. Actually I met her on the plane coming over from the States. We just hit it off. We share a lot of the same interests and we do the same thing basically, except her job is a lot more exciting. But that's not the point. What do you want?"

"And you invited yourself into her bed, no?"

"NO! Absolutely not. She wanted to show me around Paris and I wanted a hotel, a cheap one, and she offered her sofa bed. IN THE NEXT BEDROOM YOU PERVERT!" He'd seen the smirk before on Casey.

"Control yourself, Mr. Bartowski. Please, I have a favor to ask and it might seem odd but I want you to give this package to Hannah. She's…she needs money since she lost her job. You know about that?"

"Yeah. The filthy pig she works for tried to make her have sex with him to keep her job. She was right to refuse. I'm paying for everything while I'm here. I'll be here only a week. I'll talk to my boss when I get back to L.A. and maybe they can use someone as bright and talented as she is. God, she loves this city so much…"

"Mr. Bartowski, what are your intentions towards my daughter?"

"Well, we just…daughter? You're the ass that wouldn't marry her mother! Hannah's had to live with that shame her whole life. What kind of man…" He stood and towered over the older man.

* * *

The surveillance van turned the corner and parked. Their 'lost' agent was sitting at a table with an older man and flanked by two obvious bodyguards.

"Hit the external cameras and the parabolic and let's listen in, Walker. Oh, shit!" They see Chuck suddenly leap to his feet and one of the guards reaches for a weapon but stops on a gesture from the older man.

* * *

"Sit down, Mr. Bartowski before my man seats you. Yes, what kind of man, indeed. I loved her and she loved me but I was in a position that carried great personal risk and I would not extend that risk to my beloved and our baby." He looked at Chuck strangely.

* * *

"Parabolics and camera up and recording, Casey. You have a sight picture on the old guy or his tough guy?"

* * *

"You were an agent, an operative, weren't you? Spies shouldn't fall in love. Spies don't have feelings. Spies can't forgive. Spies can't have feelings for an asset. Assets are disposable and replaceable. Spies are…but why am I telling you that. You know all that. So, what do you want from me?"

"I want to give you this, Agent Bartowski, and my guarantee of safe conduct so long as you behave and do no harm here. Perhaps we can have dinner and discuss other options…"

* * *

"Casey! They're trying to turn him. That guy's Fulcrum or the Ring." They'd missed the first portion of the conversation and had the man's comments out of context.

She heard what Chuck had said and it hurt. She could hear herself saying the very same thing to him and to herself countless times.

Shaw enters the van, shaking water from his coat and takes in the scene. _"Casey, take the shot! That's the Ring Director General! If he's here then Bartowski's turned. Take the shot. Sanction authorized. Kill him, Colonel!"_

* * *

Chuck takes the package that he knows is money. The wrapping bears one word. – 'Hannah'.

"_Casey, NO! It's Chuck!"_ Sarah tries to get up and back to where Casey is sighted in on the café but Shaw holds her back.

"Colonel Casey, take – the – shot! First Bartowski and then take out the Ring Director, that's an ord…"

The shot sounds strangely muted since the muzzle of the weapon is outside the van. Sarah can't watch. She can't watch Chuck be murdered in cold blood. Instead she screams his name repeatedly as Shaw restrains her.

The shot catches Chuck in the left side and slams him out of his chair and against the building. The two bodyguards literally pick up the Director and hustle him around the corner to a waiting car and drive off. It is all over in less than 5 seconds.

Shaw has his hands full restraining a screaming Sarah Walker who is trying to get to her knives. He knows she'll gut him and the slash his throat in anger, vengeance, whatever label she chooses to apply to salve her conscience.

Casey fires the trank pistol and then glares at Shaw and leaves the van to check on Chuck. He's dead. Casey knows where he aimed and he knows he didn't miss at such a short range. He saw the tug on his coat as the bullet entered it and the ensuing grimace of shock and pain on his friend's face. It was like a slow motion replay. He'll never forget it.

He approaches the body of the intersect host. It's lying against the wall in a small pool of blood. He reaches for the pulse point on the throat but he hears the two-toned sirens of the police turning the corner and scurries away. He snatches the packet from the café table and returns to the van. Shaw has taken the wheel and is already moving when Casey slams the door. Shaw's bleeding and Walker is face down on the van floor, another trank dart in her neck.

The police and fire units pass the Café Lafayette continuing on to a fire and Dubois' two bodyguards return and pick up Chuck's body and take it to the limo. The Director has ordered that the young man be treated with respect and that his daughter be informed that he was shot and killed in the crossfire between drug dealers.

* * *

Hannah Nguyen walks to her apartment ignorant of the rain falling and soaking her. Chuck left her. Again. All the men in her life leave her. Her papa, her first and only lover and now Chuck.

What is so wrong with her that no one can stand to be around her for long?


	5. Chapter 5

ChuckParis4

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Father Knows Best, The Blame Game and The Carriage House**

The limo drives slowly abreast and then ahead of her and stops. One bodyguard gets out and opens the door. An old man gets out and calls her name.

"Hannah, Hannah Nguyen! I have your young man. He's been injured in a shooting while looking for an umbrella of all things. Come, we'll take you both to your apartment. He needs rest and I'll have my doctor come by shortly. There will be no police inquiry, nothing to disrupt your vacation. Please, it's raining and I'm an old man, Ms. Nguyen."

He gasps and then smiles as she approaches. In this light, she's the image of her mother less the mother's dark hair. He helps her into the limo and then motions them to drive on to her apartment.

* * *

**Shaw's Apartment**  
**Paris 3am**

"Let's go through it again, people. Tell me again why you ordered Colonel Casey to shoot and kill Agent Bartowski."

Beckman is barely in control. She's heard the tapes, the internal security tapes of the van and the tapes from the parabolic microphone. She has watched the grainy images of the night-vision video recorder's tape playback of the shooting. Someone had made a mistake. Someone had cost an Agent his life and the intel community a valuable asset. This video conference would continue until she was satisfied with the answers. The 'off the books' operation was dead as was her operative.

Sarah Walker is finished as an agent. Casey knows it and Shaw is painfully aware of it. His stitched hands and arms are silent testimony to her rage and anguish and ability to wield knives even with _two_ trank darts in her.

Casey has decided to submit his retirement papers and find someplace quiet and just sit back and wait for the Grim Reaper. He's done. He doesn't need to see the recordings of the shot that Beckman seems so fascinated by. He still sees the shot, the impact and the result when he closes his eyes. Sleep will become his enemy.

Daniel Shaw could care less. He's figured out whom to blame and how best to escape any stigma associated with what was sure to become known as 'the Paris Incident'. He's knows the face of the Ring Director General and it's only a matter of time until he can find and kill the man.

* * *

Jacques Dubois sits at his daughter's kitchenette table and drinks coffee and munches on a fresh croissant. They've spent the night talking and he's found forgiveness where he expected to find scorn and hatred. She's quiet and moving between her beau and her father. She's delighted with both but hesitant to show any real feelings.

"You know, Hannah, Agent Bartowski had no idea who you were when he met you on the plane. This whole thing here", he gestures around encompassing the apartment and the city, "is genuine on his part. I thought he was going to kill me when I suggested he was sleeping with you. Such outrage and such a passionate defense of you. He's a keeper, that one."

"Papa, why didn't you contact me? I would have understood, eventually, just like I'll eventually understand what really happened tonight, last night, I guess now."

She hears a groan from her room and is gone. He sighs. It is time for him to leave. He'll stay in touch this time. He has things to talk over with this Bartowski fellow.

He leaves a note with his cell phone number and a plea for her to call him when she needs anything at all.

* * *

**Hannah's Room**

"Hannah, I'm so sorry. I didn't abandon you. Honest. Oh, Christ, that hurts." He feels like such a wimp. The bullet had lodged only an inch below the surface of the skin on his side, nestled between two broken ribs and an inch above his heart and the old man's physician had quickly removed it and sutured the wound. He could do nothing about the broken ribs except warn him to breathe deeply to avoid pneumonia.

"I know, Chuck. My father told me all that happened. It must have been horrible. Caught in the crossfire between gangs."

The inch-long projectile flattened against the hard metal, broke through and emerged to lodge both projectile and the jagged surface of the flask in Chuck. If it had hit him without hitting the flask first, it would have gone in, killed him, and then blown out a nice big exit wound. He much preferred the current state of things although the broken ribs were going to be a pain for a while. The stitches that Mr. Dubois' doctor had sewn were the least of his aches and pains. Breathing, now breathing was going to be painful for a few weeks. Now he knew what being hit by a sledgehammer felt like.

He looked up at the jerry-rigged IV stand holding two bags of clear liquid that flowed into his arm. He vaguely remembered the doctor saying he'd have a nurse come by in the morning and again in the afternoon to change them out and to check and change the dressings.

Good. He didn't want Hannah traumatized any more than she'd already been.

The scene in the limo had been chaotic when she saw Mr. Dubois' man holding a compress over Chuck's chest and pressing down to stop the blood flow. There was so much blood and the air in the limo was thick with the cloying coppery smell. Chuck groaned and mumbled her name and she pushed herself out of her father's arms and to his side.

"Hannah Nguyen, calm down. You will do Mr. Bartowski no good at all by being hysterical. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. His wound is not life threatening _if_ we can stop the bleeding. My physician is on his way to your apartment and will meet us there. We want to avoid involving the police. It never helps in these situations. They will assume he had something to do with it until he proves otherwise. Now, come sit beside me. We have much to discuss, you and I."

Apparently they'd reconciled, if you can call meeting your father for the first time in 24 years 'reconciling'. She deserved so much more and he would give it to her.

"Hannah, you deserve the truth. Lie down here and keep me company. I have a California fairy tale to tell you. But first, did you save Jeff's flask? Titanium. See? Being nice always works in your favor. Without that, I'd be dead."

* * *

**Shaw's Apartment**  
**Continuing Video Conference**

"The money you thought was a payoff, a bribe, Shaw? It's for his daughter. This letter explains it all. It's for his daughter, the girl Chuck was with. He wasn't trying to turn him, he was asking Chuck to give money to his daughter because she'd lost her job and was broke. You killed him for nothing more than that, Shaw. You killed the host, Agent Charles Bartowski, for the crime of running an innocent errand for an old man. How proud you must be, Daniel. Have you figured out yet whom to blame it all on?"

"Agent Walker, please sit down. We can discuss blame another time. Right now, I want some answers. First, is he dead? Second, if he's dead, where is the body? Third, why did you give the order to kill Bartowski first, Shaw, instead of the Ring Director?"

* * *

Dubois knows how the Combine works. They'll discuss the situation interminably, place blame, and then start to think outside their constrictive little boxes.

He needs to get Hannah and Agent Bartowski to a safe place. They will come for her if only to question her regarding her relationship with the agent. He will also have his operatives find out who carried out the assassination attempt, who they work for, and why Charles was the target and not him.

"Henri, go to my daughter's apartment. Take a 'team sanitaire' and bring everything and everyone back here. I think the carriage house will be appropriate. It's far enough removed that they will see little of our comings and goings but close enough that we can monitor their safety. Yes, that is it. Go, my friend. And be nice to Hannah. She will be…difficult. She loves that old apartment of hers. I will call and explain the 'why' of her move."

* * *

**Hannah's apartment**

She's frightened and she's angry. Chuck didn't lie to her, he just left a lot out when they first met. She chides herself for her childishness. 'Hi, I'm Chuck and I'm a secret agent but I want to be real with you.' That would have gone over like a loud fart during the sermon at Sunday Mass.

She hears her cell phone trill and reluctantly leaves his side.

"Hello"

"Hannah, a team of men and women are coming to your apartment. Do not be alarmed but the men who tried to kill Chuck will be coming to ask you questions and I would spare you that. Go with my team, cherie, and you and Charles will be safe. Please, if you value his life, do this thing. They will talk to you and find him and kill you both to cover their mistakes."

"Yes, I'll go with them but what about Chuck? I can't leave him here, Papa. I won't leave him!"

"He's coming with you, of course. Now, go and help him dress and Henri will take care of everything. The doctor and nurse will be here when he arrives so don't worry about that."

* * *

**Shaw's Apartment**

"As I suspected, General, there are no reports of the shooting, no reports of a body or of a shooting victim being admitted through emergency services. They've cleaned up after us and we may never recover his remains."

"Or, Agent Shaw, he's still alive and they've got him. Quit being so quick to write off Agent Bartowski. I know he's an obstacle to you in some respects," she looks at Sarah with angry eyes, "but he's shown amazing resilience in the past. I suggest you follow up with the new girlfriend, Hannah Nguyen. Agent Walker, you and Colonel Casey will do the interview. Remember, you're on foreign soil so maintain a cover as friends of Chuck's that he contacted and arranged to meet but never kept the date."

* * *

Casey and Sarah sit on opposite sides of the cover cab Shaw's sleeper cell uses to transport the agents. The silence between them is thick and there is a tension that never existed between them before. Guilt has left them both with raw nerves.

"Walker, I think the General still believes Chuck is alive somewhere. Do you agree or are you buying Shaw's version?"

"You didn't miss the shot. You saw the body and the blood. He's dead, colonel, and that's the end of it. I don't understand why Beckman is so adamant that we go through with this farce? Finding his body won't bring him back now, will it?" Sarcasm. Not even veiled. It seemed like every time she closed her eyes she saw the green-tinted images of the video recording of 'the shot'.

"He's dead and you still hate him for Prague. You know why he took the download. Carina told me everything. You should forgive him, Agent Walker. You should forgive yourself."

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! He's dead. I'll never see him again. I'll never…"

"Forgive him, Sarah, if only in your own mind. He wouldn't want this for you. You know that. You won't find peace until you do."

"I'll find peace, colonel, when the Ring is no more and they're all dead, every last one of them."

The driver turned around, his cell phone in his ear. "Agent Shaw reports that his cell visited the apartment and it is totally empty and no one saw a thing. It has been cleaned with a fine comb. They even poured bleach down the drains and hauled off the apartment's accumulated trash and the outside trash bins. You are to return for a conference with the General."

* * *

The teleconference was very short. "Agents, return home. Close down Operation Burbank and report to your various agencies for reassignment."

"General, I don't think that's wise. I have concerns about the thoroughness of the cleanup. Some things add up to more questions than answers."

"Go on, Colonel Casey, state your case."

"Thank you. Number 1. Why clean out the drains with bleach? Number 2. Why take the 'outside trash bins'? Blood. Lots of blood. And bandages and dressings. They were removing any evidence of blood and the stuff that goes with it. They had no reason to kill the girl and if they did, there was no tie to Bartowski so they'd leave the body for the neighbors to find. I believe he's alive, critically injured, but alive. I intend to find Agent Bartowski and I'm asking permission to do so, General."

Sarah turned to Casey, something like hope in her eyes. "Do you really think he could be alive, John?"

"Yeah, the lack of evidence and the steps they went to in order to hide it makes me believe he's alive, horribly hurt, but alive and in their hands instead of in our hospital."

Shaw had had enough. "Colonel, he could be anywhere in Paris, anywhere in France, anywhere in Europe for that matter. How do you propose to find Bartowski?" His comments and question were arrogant and surly.

"Unless he dumped his personal stuff or it's been removed for him, he's wired with a IFF-type transponder. It's in his wallet, in the handle of his tech case and there's one in his suitcase. There's also one in his laptop and in the heel of a pair of those stupid high top shoes he wears. Range is down, though. Only about 15km for the passive units, 45km for the powered unit in his laptop. I'll need to have a unit shipped here and then the means to begin flying patterns across France. We'll start with your sleepers driving around Paris and we can have 3 teams and triangulate any hits. So amend the order to 5 interrogative units, General."

* * *

**Chateau Almandine**  
**15km SW of Paris**

The classic Bentley glided to a stop in front of a carriage house that had been converted into a guest house. Chuck levered himself up and out of the comfortable backseat with Hannah's help and stood upright but quickly stooped. The strain on his ribs was painful when he stood upright to his full 6'2".

The driver and Henri helped Chuck into the carriage house and onto a couch in the main salon. They took his bags to the smaller of the two bedrooms and then left the couple on their own. Chuck quickly went to the bed prepared for him. He was dizzy and the ride had tired him. A half hour later, Henri stopped by for a moment and handed Chuck some electronic wafers.

"These were in your luggage, your shoes and your wallet. Transponders, I think. They've been disabled but you may have them back when you leave."

Chuck looked surprised, something Henri noted. "Well, Henri, destroy them. They were placed there without my knowledge or consent. Another breach of trust and privacy on the part of my 'mistress' and her minions."

"As you wish. It is a dangerous game you play, Mr. Bartowski. Be on guard once you leave here but relax while you can. There are no devices or monitors here. The Director forbids it. Now, the call box is near the door and there's a panic button in every room. Use the box if you need anything. The panic button is self-explanatory." He nodded and left but returned a moment later.

"Mr. Bartowski, if you would permit a suggestion? Why not activate these devices and send the 'minions' on a tour of Paris' darker side? I know of several 'houses of ill repute', not from personal experience, I assure you, that I could plant these in, leading them around Paris by their noses. No harm will come to them. The Director forbids it."

"I like the way you think, Henri. Yes. The darker the better. I know who she will send. My former handlers. Such a tour will do them good. Add insult to injury. Leave a note asking why they killed me. Yes, killed me for I am dead to them now. They're searching for a body, not a living man. A living man would be a failure and the woman does not tolerate failure. So just write 'Why?' on the note."

He slept through the night and all the next day and the following night. The doctor had given orders for a light sedative to be infused with the IV so that he wouldn't tear out his stitches. He wasn't aware of the nurse changing his dressing or the IV. He wasn't aware that he hadn't slept alone. Hannah had slept next to him, calming him with soft words when his sleep was disturbed by dreams.

He woke the morning of the fourth day after the shooting. He was disoriented at first until he remembered being shot and moved to the Director's chateau 'for safety'. He knew he wasn't a prisoner and hoped Hannah was being taken care of. He needn't have worried. She was the Director's daughter and was treated almost like royalty.

Henri appeared about noon and helped Chuck up, changed his dressing and then helped him dress. He felt weak and embarrassed. He made his way downstairs carefully, looking for Hannah.

Hannah walked in from the dining room after finding that all her things from the kitchen in the apartment had been placed exactly where she would have liked them.

"Isn't this beautiful, Chuck?"

"It is now. Before it was just a nice room."

"Flatterer. Are you tired? Hungry? Thirsty?"

"Hannah, you're my um, friend, not my servant. What do you think of all this? Are you uncomfortable with me now? I didn't lie to you but I couldn't tell you the truth either."

"Chuck, sweetie, I figured that out the night you were shot after my talk with my father. My father says you defended my honor when he suggested we were sleeping together. That was very sweet of you. It impressed him. That and your comments about me. You must be easily impressed, Mr. Bartowski."

"Why so formal, Ms. Nguyen?" He liked teasing her.

"You're the only one who calls me that. Most people call me Hannah or Hannah Harris. No one calls me by Nguyen. I like it when you do. It makes me feel exotic and special."

"You are exotic and you are definitely special. Why don't you take me on the grand tour and we'll see what other surprises your father has for us. This place is fantastic. Walk slowly, Hannah. I'll do my best to keep up."

They didn't get far before Chuck had to sit and rest. They sat on cushioned wicker settee overlooking the garden. She said she wasn't tired but soon dozed off, leaning against him. She's slept very little the past few days and never more than a few hours at a time.

He maneuvered her so that her head was in his lap and her legs stretched out. He ran his thumb gently across her lips and then blushed. 'Taking liberties?' said a voice in his head. Ellie.

He stroked her hair and she turned against him and sighed and snuggled against him. He dozed off in the warm early afternoon and slept until he felt her stir.

"You give good hugs and you're a great pillow, Chuck. You're good for a lot of things." She blushed furiously. " I mean…"

"Hey. Relax. I know what you meant. Please, Hannah, don't be so up tight. I don't judge and if I did, you'd win first place. Now, please help an old man stand up. I require the facilities, Ms. Nguyen, and then I'll be back and we can resume our exploration."

Two servants brought dinner at 7pm. They set the table, opened the wine and served the first course and then left. Chuck was amazed with it.

"Hannah, this is like something out of a movie! Do you always eat like this?"

"Chuck, you saw my apartment. What do you think?"

They stayed up and talked and exchanged stories and Hannah noted the time and his huge yawns. "Chuck, the doctor left you something to help you sleep. Take the pills and go to bed. I'll just lock up and join you in a few minutes. Oh! I mean I'll go to bed with you…oh, crap, Chuck, you know what I meant.

He laughed his way upstairs. He liked her. Really liked her. She was guileless, funny, open, and seemed to like him. It was too bad they couldn't have stayed just Chuck and Hannah. The assassination attempt changed the game dramatically. It was a sanctioned hit otherwise the Director would have been the primary target. His presence in Hannah's life placed her in danger. They wouldn't stop, his former handlers, until they'd accomplished the sanction or they were dead. Now he understood the Director a little better. Why had Beckman turned on him?

He undressed, put on boxers and slid carefully into bed. He couldn't handle getting a t-shirt on by himself. Tired from a long but interesting day, he was asleep within seconds.

She slipped into her own bed a few minutes later, wearing only her nightshirt and a smile. Her bed seemed cold without him beside her but she wouldn't 'impose' on him now that he was weaned off the sedative.

Hannah Nguyen had found her father and Fate had brought her together with her other half. It was exactly as the old amah had told her it would be. 'A man from the west will find and complete you'.


	6. Chapter 6

ChuckParis5

**Chapter 6 Dead Ends and Eve Offers Adam the Apple**

Casey walked back into Shaw's apartment followed by an equally irritated Sarah Walker. Another sweep, another stab of hope, another mocking discovery. The second one today. She was fast losing the hope that had bloomed when Casey had made his case for finding Chuck alive.

Daniel Shaw was on the phone with one of his sleeper cell agents and from his side of the conversation, his personal operation was not going well either. Hannah Harris, aka Hannah Nguyen, had no connections whatsoever to the Ring, any of its identified affiliates or fronts. She was what she appeared to be on the plane, a young woman returning to Paris. How…frustrating.

He spoke rapidly. "A dead end then. Go back through her past. There has to be something…check her parents, her grandparents. No one is this clean. Keep me advised."

"So, agents, what do you have to report?" He was fast becoming disenchanted with Casey and Walker. Casey was a troglodyte and Walker was a compromised agent who should have been replaced when he first took over. His own weakness. Well, he would bear the scars of his mistake for the rest of his life and had been lucky to escape serious injury during her knife-wielding 'melt down' in the van.

"We found both transponders planted in…businesses. We found a note at each location. 'Why?' It seems they're mocking us. I don't know why. I just feel there's more to this than meets the eye, Shaw. What have you turned up on Hannah Harris?"

"Businesses? What kinds of businesses? Any possibility of a linkage back to the Ring?"

"The first was a…a…" Casey was looking for the right word to describe Madame Rosa's House of Pleasure and Pain.

"The words Colonel Casey is looking for are 'sex shop'. A fetish and bondage boutique catering to that clientele…as well as a 'dungeon operation' complete with girls, both dominatrix and submissives. I don't believe the Colonel had ever imagined such places existed." She knew they existed. She'd worked one while tracking a mark early in her career.

"And the other?"

"A cat house. A high class whore house."

"Give me the addresses and I'll have a background check initiated. Maybe they're linked to the Ring although that bunch is far too prudish to use them for anything other than extortion, money laundering and revenue."

Both Casey and Sarah felt that Shaw was far too knowledgeable about the Ring operations for their tastes. They also both felt the need for a shower after Madame Rosa's. Chuck would never have visited such places. He probably didn't even know they existed. He was not a pervert like Shaw was fast revealing himself to be. She couldn't believe she'd even considered a liaison with Shaw. Disgusting. Her conscience took her to task. It did that a lot lately. '_Liaison? Oh, come on, Sarah. Call it what is would have been…masturbation with an Entwife.'_

She and Casey went to the corner bistro for coffee and conversation.

"Walker, I think the Ring is just playing with us. I don't think we're going to find him, dead or alive. This is just their way of keeping us running from place to place and not concentrating on the big picture."

"Well, I think it's safe to say Chuck wouldn't have gone near one of those places. The transponders are being planted and until we catch whoever's doing it, we're clueless. If all the transponders were planted by the same guy, oh, hell, I'm grasping at straws here."

Casey's cell phone chirped and he saw it was Shaw calling.

"What now, Shaw?" He was damned if he'd be civil to the stiff-necked ass.

"Another transponder hit. This one is on the move, heading out of the city towards the northwest. It's 10km from the chase vehicle and moving very fast. Catch up to the sleepers and join the pursuit. It can cross the border into Belgium in less than 2 hours at current rate of speed."

"Walker, let's go. Another transponder activated and it's on the move."

He filled her in on the rest of Shaw's message. If they were taking him out of the country, it meant that he was probably still alive and being moved to an interrogation center. Not good.

"Casey, forget the car. It's too slow. We need a chopper. Let's head for the airport."

Thirty minutes later they were in a hired helicopter heading towards the GPS coordinates the chase car was updating every 15 minutes. At their current speed, they'd intercept before the next update.

Henri turned off the highway and onto a secondary road. The tour bus would cross the border in less than 30 minutes. He drove back onto the highway and drove at a leisurely speed back to the city and his last transponder plant – the train to Marseille.

* * *

Chuck was sitting in the warm sun dozing when Hannah came and sat beside him and gently whispered his name in his ear. "Chuck, sweetie, Henri is here with some photographs for you to look at. Wake up, sleeping beauty."

"Hannah, if I'm 'sleeping beauty', you have to be traditional."

She smiled and complied with tradition. She woke her 'sleeping beauty' with a kiss, running her tongue against his lips and then slipping it into his mouth. Their tongues dueled briefly and she broke the kiss.

"Wow. I have a new respect for tradition. Let me help you up and into the carriage house. After you're done with Henri, I'd like to explore more traditions, honey. Some in-depth exploration?"

"Oh, Hannah, you're killing me, babe. The spirit is oh, so willing, but the ribs are still a bit tender."

"I am a creative individual, honey, and I am known for my 'work arounds' and problem solving skills. Now, let me worry about the ribs, you go do your spy thing with Henri."

She took his place in the sun and watched him walk carefully back into the carriage house. She'd have to be very creative, indeed, to avoid any discomfort for him. Where there was a will, there was a way.

"Agent Bartowski, I have brought photographs of the team following your wild goose chases and some of individuals who've shown an unhealthy interest in Ms. Nguyen's apartment. Do you recognize any of these people?"

"Chuck, Henri, my friends call me Chuck. I don't think I'm entitled to be referred to as 'Agent' any longer."

"OK, Chuck. Do you recognize any of these people?" He spread a dozen photographs over the tabletop.

"This is my primary handler, Casey. This is our team leader, Daniel Shaw. This is my other handler who's involved with Shaw romantically. A week ago I trusted them with my life. Now, I think my life is worthless and they've been tasked with the sanction."

"Sanction? What is 'sanction'?" He'd never heard the term before.

"A sanction is an assassination order. A hit. The shooting at the Café was a sanction with me as the target. I was warned that breaking cover and going to Paris for a week might result in a sanction but I didn't believe it. Incredible. These two", pointing to Casey and Walker, "were my friends. We'd been together 3 years. I guess I'm not a good judge of character, Henri."

"And these other four?" He pointed out the sleeper cell members.

"Never saw any of them before. They're strangers to me. I guess all of these people are strangers, really. Casey, Walker, not even their real names, of course. I never was told their real names. She and I posed as cover boyfriend and girlfriend for 2 ½ years. Things happened, things changed and she broke it off. She's with Shaw now I believe."

"And you are with Ms. Hannah, no?"

"No. We really just met on the plane. I like her. What's not to like. But it's too soon and now…I must leave her. She would become 'collateral damage' and I will not permit that. Can I speak with the Director sometime today? I have to leave and I want to explain why. She's his daughter and history will repeat itself."

"I will speak to him. He is not unsympathetic to your situation, Chuck. Bear in mind, however, he is the top Ring Executive and he has responsibilities for many others."

"I understand. I'm not leaving tonight. Or even tomorrow. Still too sore to walk far and driving would be out of the question."

* * *

When Chuck didn't return after half an hour, Hannah went in search of her other half. When she found him, he was staring at photographs and seemed almost in tears.

"What's wrong, baby? Talk to me, Chuck. Don't shut me out. Maybe I can help."

"Help? No one can help me. These two people were my best friends for almost 3 years and the other night, in Paris, one of them, probably the man, shot me in a botched assassination attempt. Why, Hannah? Why would they turn on me?"

"Come with me. You need a bath and then you need comfort. I'll help you with both, Chuck. I have a story to tell you and then we'll figure out what we're going to do together. You're not alone, Chuck. I'm with you and together we'll see this thing through to the end. Trust me. I'm never wrong about such things."

He laughed bitterly. "You sure have a lot of experience with spies and assassinations, Hannah."

"No experience at all. But I've spent my life solving riddles and problems. I graduated top in my class from Carnegie-Mellon, Chuck. I'm smart. Trust me, Chuck. I won't let you down." She helped him up the stairs into the bathroom.

"Strip, Chuck. I've seen it all before. I have a younger brother. You're just bigger than he is…oh, my, a lot bigger." She giggled and he blushed and sat gingerly down in the huge European-style garden tub to hide his…bigness. Even that small movement was agony. The doctor had told the nurse the ribs were 'badly broken' and would take longer to knit due to the splintering caused by the bullet forcing the flask against his chest.

She disrobed efficiently and then adjusted the tub water temperature and eased into the hot water and began washing him. She was appalled at the size of the bruise that extended several inches around the dressing.

"Hannah! I can handle this myself. I think…"

"You think too much, Chuck, and live too little." She gently removed his dressing and washed around the incision, tinting the water pink as dried and fresh blood fell into the tub from his skin.

The water began to cool so she drained the tub and helped him stand and turned on the shower to rinse them both. She was so aroused that she was sure he could smell her lust. She could feel his throbbing against her stomach as she held him up and rinsed him off. The difference in their heights would make things interesting for them in the years to come, of that she was certain.

"Chuck, I want you. I'll be very careful but I want you and I will have you, and then I will tell you the story I promised you. Come, be my lover, Chuck. I will never betray you. Never."

* * *

A long while later she whispered, "Chuck, no one ever made me feel so loved. Thank you. Sleep now. Story hour can wait. Maybe I can show you again how much I care for you when you recover your wits?" She'd treated him like he might break at any touch but soon the endorphins kicked in and he was able to fully appreciate her efforts.

Chuck laughed and pulled her closer with his good arm. He didn't have a lot of experience to compare things to but he knew that the last hour or so was one of the best times of his life. How could he let her go? How could he protect her? Questions needing answers. Another mission complication he didn't want or need but had to deal with.

"You're bleeding again. Let me get the gauze and tape." She slid out of bed and went into the bathroom and returned with gauze, alcohol wipes and surgical tape.

"I've never done this before, Chuck."

"Well, just wipe the…"

"No, I mean drag a man to my bed. You are only the second man I've slept with and the last was when I was 22 in my senior year so it's been a long while between men. Oh, that didn't come out right. You're special, Chuck. I knew it on the plane. Our meeting was part of our destiny. It was foretold and I believe in it."

"Destiny? Who foretold what?"

"It is an augury, and it was foretold by an old Chinese amah who was my mother's companion and servant since she was a little girl. She'd dead now but she told me that you would be tall and dark-eyed and would come out of the western sky and you would save me and be my soul mate and partner and would complete me. Please don't laugh, Chuck. My mother's people take this stuff very seriously. And I do, too, for all my education."

"And you think I'm this guy out of the west who completes you?"

"When I saw you on the plane, I couldn't breathe. Everything around you turned blurry but you. You stood out and I felt like I was…coming home from a long journey. It's our Fate to be together. You feel the tug, too. I can tell. On the plane, we found ourselves telling the truth to one another and neither of us wanted to do that. We had to."

"Yeah, on the plane, I felt like I knew you and when you spoke about Paris so intimately I knew then that I wanted to see it, experience it, with you and no one else. I thought I'd hit my head in the baggage hold or that the poison had some side effect but I see now…Fate."

"Don't mock me, Chuck, please? I'm serious."

"I'm not mocking you. That's how I felt, too. Like I knew you; that we'd shared something I couldn't remember. How crazy is that?"

"We're here, together. Fate." _'Le Click' – love at first sight._

She finished changing the dressing and then put the supplies away. When she got back, Chuck was asleep, leaning back against the pillows. She got a sudden urge and went downstairs and located a blank canvas and her charcoal pencils. She would capture this moment for them both as a remembrance of their first time as lovers. She covered his genitals with the sheet, giggling because she wanted to immortalize all of him but decorum prevailed.

Three hours later the light began to go and he was waking up. She put the canvas in her room, behind the door, and cleaned up her charcoal pencils. She had the drawing. Soon she would paint him. Tonight, she would possess him again and experiment with the things she'd heard her sorority sisters talk about but never dared think to do. She was becoming a wanton woman at the ripe old age of 25.

* * *

Sarah Walker tossed and turned but couldn't find a comfortable position to try and sleep. They'd been up almost 48 hours straight and the latest 'hit' had been on a train bound for Marseille. The damned notes. Always the same. Just the one damning word. _'WHY?'_

"Why?" And she had no answer. If she had been really honest with herself instead of maintaining her façade as an agent, she didn't know the question, either. None of them did.


	7. Chapter 7

ChuckParis6

Better get more reviews or this'll be abandoned...lol

Chapter 7 – The Morning After and Casey Enters the Arena

* * *

Hannah's sore muscles protested when she bent over to recover the nightclothes she'd hastily tossed out of the bed. She was deliciously sore in places that had been unused in years. If someone saw her smile they would know instantly what put the smile there. Only incredibly satisfying sex could make her glow. Everything about her seemed to vibrate and as she looked over at the quietly snoring source of her glow she giggled, then laughed for the pure joy of it.

A sleepy voice asked her, "What's so funny, Hannah? You weren't laughing last night if I remember correctly. Well, you did giggle when I…"

She slid back into bed, straddling him. I didn't mean to wake you, sweetheart. I just feel so incredible this morning and it's all because of you. And since you're already 'up'…", she slid further down his legs, pulled the sheet over her and took him in her mouth. This would be a day of many firsts in her life.

"Hannah…ooh…Hannah…"

They bathed together and she changed his dressing, no longer brought to the point of tears by the wound. If he hadn't been so 'nice' and thought about his friend in Burbank and bought the flask, she'd never have known the joy of being with him.

They discussed everything and anything over a breakfast of fresh croissants, fresh Moroccan orange slices and Turkish coffee. Chuck finally asked her what her immediate plans were.

"I – I really don't know, Chuck. I was kind of in limbo when I lost my job and returned here to pack up and move back home to America but I've found my father and I don't want to leave him. I don't mean I want to live with him - after all, he has his own life and I need my own. What about you?"

"I had a job waiting back in the States, two actually. But there's no one person other than Ellie that I have any connection with. I don't know what I'm going to do. Whatever it is, it has to be as someone other than Charles Bartowski. He's dead. At least I hope my team thinks I'm dead. I have nowhere to go, Hannah. I have no one I can trust and I've obviously made powerful enemies within the intelligence services of my own government. I just don't know."

"You can trust me, Chuck." She reached across the table and grasped his hand like he was going to turn to smoke if she let go.

"I know I can, sweetie. I meant people in my line of work. My 'associates', you don't make friends in this business, are the only people I know other than occasional acquaintances from other agencies and from Stanford. I can't call on them. The word is out. Bartowski is dead and if contacted, inform NSA. I need to stay hidden and dead."

"Stay here, with me and my father. He won't turn you out, Chuck. He's a good man and he can be of great help to you. And if you do go, I'll be with you. Don't say it…don't say it…I mean it, Chuck. We're soul mates and we have an obligation to one another. One without the other is merely half, my lover. Together, we're One and no one will be able to stop us from living. I have some money saved and you have some cash. We can hop on the Eurail and disappear into the countryside."

"Those are beautiful thoughts, baby, but I know this business. It's called going off the grid and it's almost impossible to do nowadays unless you want to live where electricity and running water are campaign promises never kept. No, countries are too interlinked, interwoven. We'd have to go to the 3rd World and I wouldn't inflict that on us." She was weak and he knew she'd never survive the running, the stress and the fear of discovery.

"I know what you're thinking, Charles Bartowski. You're thinking I wouldn't be able to handle living on the run, the constant fear of discovery and that I'd eventually leave you and come back to safety and civilization. Well – well - well, you're wrong. I would never leave you alone like that. And I am stronger than you think. Don't plan on going it alone, baby, because wherever you go, I'll find you. Papa has resources and I'll use them."

"It's too nice a day to have this conversation. Let's take a walk. Maybe your father can suggest someplace we might go. All the 'safe areas' I know about are also known to my partners, so they're automatically eliminated."

Henri knocks at the door and lets himself in. "Agent…er…Chuck, Mr. Dubois will see you now. Ms. Nguyen, he would like you to accompany Chuck. Please, he is waiting."

Chuck walks out into the bright sunlit courtyard, Hannah hanging on his arm. There are three armed men with automatic weapons.

Chuck feels the familiar 'tug' in his head as the intersect dumps information regarding the weapons he's looking at.

_Common Name: MP5SD6F_  
_Calibre: 9×19mm_  
_Origin: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf, Germany._  
_Use: Armed forces: special service. In use with all special ops units, including 1er RPIMa, 13e RDP,FORFUSCO, CPA10, etc. Police forces: special service. In use with all special ops units, including GIGN, GIPN, and RAID. Details: Fires semiautomatic, 3-round bursts, and full-automatic. Integral sound suppressor. Retractable stock._

"Henri, is my presence the cause of this additional security? I don't want to be the cause of any trouble for the Director. I will not repay his hospitality by bringing the possibilities of threats to his door. Perhaps I should plan to leave sooner than we discussed?"

"Chuck, you've talked about leaving and didn't tell me? You were going to leave me without…"

"No, Hannah. I just mentioned a timeframe when I asked Henri to arrange an appointment with your father, that's all. Don't fret. I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye and making arrangements to stay in touch. I couldn't do that to you, baby."

"You're damned right you couldn't, Chuck. My papa will not let you leave without me. You'll see. Don't even think of it. We're together and we're staying together. Get used to the concept, Chuck. It's a new paradigm in our lives…being together."

"Ah, Chuck, my young friend. You are, what's the phrase? Oh, yes, you are toast. She is so like her papa. Do not cross her. She is most formidable."

Chuck sighed in resignation and amusement. All the women in his life were 'formidable' or so it seemed. Ellie, Sarah Walker, Carina Hansen, and now Hannah. All formidable.

"Come, the Director will see you…both." Henri was amused. He'd never seen two people so right for each other actually find each other. Ms. Nguyen fairly glowed and when she looked at the young man. Henri could remember times when a woman had looked at him like that. Years ago. She would make any old man wish for younger days.

* * *

"Colonel Casey, this is General Beckman. The time has come to bring you into the fold. You have been involved in a deception operation. We never thought it would get so complicated after being so simple on paper. You almost ruined everything when you shot young Bartowski but Fate intervened and now we're further along than anticipated."

"General? Deception operation?"

"Bartowski is infiltrating the highest echelons of the Ring. He has identified and put together an incredible dossier on Jacques Dubois, also known as the Director General but mostly by 'Director'. He found a link no one else had. He was going to go at it from the front, claiming to be a defector, exposing himself as the intersect host and seeking 'asylum'."

"Then this whole 'vacation' is bullshit?"

"Yes. And I suspect that Daniel Shaw is more than he appears. He should have ordered the shot on Dubois, not Bartowski. However, as I stated, events overtook our original plan and Bartowski has capitalized on it. He's ingratiated himself into Dubois' household through the daughter."

"Hannah? He's using Hannah to get to her father? What then? Assassinate him?"

"No. Join him. The original plan is still viable. The only complications are Shaw and Walker. Shaw, because of his doubtful loyalty and Walker because of her ''unresolved' feelings for the host. I'm going to send those two hunting for Bartowski in distant corners of Europe, away from France. You will remain and hold in place until Bartowski contacts you."

"Why would he do that? He doesn't know I'm aware of the real mission."

"Because he'll contact me per our plan and I'll refer him to you. I'm certain you can bridge the trust gap created by the bullet you left in his chest."

"Then you agree with me that he's alive? Why the inquisition when he was first shot?"

"I didn't know for certain that he was alive. Now, I am."

"Why?"

"Exactly."

"Huh?"

"'Why?' was the code word to be sent in the clear if he made it into the inner circle. Otherwise it would have been another phrase or sentence depending on his circumstances."

"You're sending Walker out with Shaw? She'll kill him at the earliest opportunity. She's fried, emotionally cauterized. She lost it when she thought Bartowski got whacked."

"She's resilient. And I'm not sending them out together. She'll go to Sweden, Norway, Holland and Belgium and Shaw will be sent to the Balkan states, Austria and Germany. I was going to keep moving them around but I want Shaw under observation and Walker well away from France."

"And then? Chuck is going to be pissed off beyond belief that Shaw ordered the hit on him and pissed at me because I didn't question the circumstances, just followed orders. Walker's going to become a problem for the team if she still rejects him after his return. I don't see him returning to our team. Maybe you should consider re-teaming him with experienced agents who can be trusted with what's in his head."

"John, Chuck won't be returning. This is a long-term deep cover operation. It was his choice. He came to me with the plan and it was audacious and he was almost desperate for me to accept it. He was heartbroken over the murder of his friend and the situation with Walker. He'd forgiven Larkin but could not find it in his heart to forgive Walker for her continued rejection. I took advantage of him for the greater good."

Her recitation chilled John Casey. First, she called him 'Chuck' and then had spoken openly about 'feelings' and then admitted to taking 'advantage' of his emotional turmoil. This was a high water mark for Casey. Beckman seemed almost regretful of her actions.

"Colonel, you're quiet but Agent Bartowski was and still is an emotional wreck and I did what he asked since it would ultimately benefit our efforts in the long run. Now we'll see if his plan and my faith in him will stand the acid test of reality. That is all."

"General, wait! If Shaw had ordered the shot on Dubois, his plan would have collapsed. What was the plan then?"

"We had no plan for such a contingency since neither of us could have anticipated such a situation. He would have been on his own until he made contact. Considering the situation, I doubt he would have done so. He would have considered Shaw's warning of a possible sanction and acted on that assumption and disappeared."

Casey just snorted. "General, no one, not even the intersect host, can just 'disappear' nowadays."

"You have so little faith in our young friend's abilities. He was always the prime candidate for the intersect. He'd been identified in testing at Stanford as part of Project Omaha. It was always his fate. It was his moral compass that disqualified him initially. That same moral compass blocked his abilities as a spy in training and resulted in him being sent home in disgrace."

"Something's happened to his 'compass' then since what he's doing requires him to ignore all those things that make him a decent human being and not spy material."

"Yes. Things have happened. Times have changed. He's learned to compromise for the greater good. He's surrendered control of his destiny to events that he can't control."

"Sounds like he's given up. Not something I figured he would do."

"Ilsa, John. She was his Ilsa. Why do you think you were pulled from Eastern Europe? Why do you think you were assigned security of the intersect project and why do you think you were assigned to babysit or eliminate an unwilling host? It was because of Ilsa and all the problems that being emotionally compromised bring to the table. Walker was his Ilsa."

"General, if he feels that deeply for her, how can he just…how can he just walk away?"

"How did you, John? Not once but twice? If there's nothing more, our next contact on this subject will be when Chuck makes contact with me. Until then, follow my instructions, participate in the team activities and wait."


	8. Chapter 8

ChuckParis7

A/N: Just found out I won't be able to get home this weekend so you'll have to read this depressing crap. Enjoy and review or face your own abandonment issues...bwahaha - I'll post again tomorrow if - if - if - the meter hits 40. So all you lurkers out there better make yourselves known or...it'll be Tuesday as usual. APR

* * *

Chapter 8 – Chuck Defects, the Old School Blues and Building Bridges

* * *

Jacques Dubois knew immediately that his daughter and her young beau had become more than friends. Part of him was disturbed but he quickly squelched it. He had no right to such feelings. He'd only become a father to her in the past few days.

"So, Agent Bartowski, you wished to speak with me?" He wondered what the young American agent had to 'discuss'.

"I'm no longer an agent, Mr. Dubois. I am, however, the Combine's Frankenstein, the intersect host."

Dubois would have dropped his coffee cup in shock if had been in his hand. The intersect host here, in his office. Marvelous!

"And what is an 'intersect host', Agent Bartowski? I'm not familiar with the term. It sounds…distasteful. Like a man living with a parasite in his body." It did strike him as distasteful. How could anyone allow such a thing to happen?

"On my 26th birthday I answered an email from an old college friend, well, not exactly friend, we'd grown apart over the years and he betrayed me with…never mind. I apologize. I ramble when I'm nervous and I'm definitely nervous."

"Why? I have not threatened you. I've given you a safe haven, you and my daughter."

"Yeah, about that. I had no intention of dragging Hannah into this. All I was looking for was a week in Paris and I couldn't turn down her offer to show me her Paris. I'm sorry for involving her. I had no idea the surveillance on me was so…"

"Murderous? Obviously they were gunning for you, Agent, or I would be dead. But why are you nervous? We got off the subject – again – due to your ramblings."

"You sound like a nicer version of my boss, General Beckman. I'm nervous because I'm about to commit treason against the country I love. Wouldn't that make you feel disgusted with yourself?"

"Indeed. But surely the 'secrets' you have are only about this intersect. Of what interest would they be to the Ring?" He couldn't believe his ears. _'What interest…indeed'._

"Pick a folder at random from those on your desk. Pick a name, a place, an operative, anything."

"Alright, someone you have already met then. Hugo Panzer."

Chuck felt the tug.

"Hugo Panzer, born in the US in 1974. A former collegiate wrestling champion and later a Rhodes Scholar to Cambridge and soon worked for the State Department's Protective Division. Recruited by Fulcrum in 1998 as a 'strong arm' but quickly advanced him through the ranks to 'special duties'. In 2003, he…"

"Enough about Mr. Panzer. What facilities do we operate in Calais?"

"None."

"Berne?"

"A suspected intel node with facilities to launch cyber attacks against financial institutions and countries. There was an attempt to 'crash' the Paris stock exchange in 2007 but it was interrupted without explanation and there have been no further visible attempts anywhere."

'Yes, and I warned them against any action in La Belle France and they defied me! Well, the 'node' in no more nor are it's managers.'

"Excellent. Now, the CIA 'Chateau' 20km northwest of Paris."

"It must be an 'off the books' operation. There's nothing about any 'Chateau' in the files. Perhaps under another name?"

"What about 'off the books' prison facilities in Iceland?"

"Ah, the infamous Hole aka Cold Storage, actually a dormant volcano caldera with steam vents and hot and fresh water springs. There are currently, as of September, 61 'guests'. It's considered the ultimate in security since the walls are sheer cliffs and the 'guests' are lightly clothed since the steam vents that warm their 'quarters' do not require that the residents wear heavy clothing. Escape would mean an agonizing death by freezing. There are currently 6 Fulcrum and 9 Ring guests as of the latest update in September. It is open for use to more than 40 countries."

"Barbaric!"

"No more than France's Devil's Island although parole and pardon were possible for the inmates on the island."

"True, true, but still, in this 'enlightened' age, you'd think we'd rise above such needs."

"In this 'enlightened' age, you'd think we'd not have cause to create such places. There are terrorists, political assassins, rogue agents from several services who were incapable of being rehabilitated, you name it. The Fulcrum and Ring agents were all traitors to their countries. The alternative would have been death."

Hannah had been silent, taking it all in. Her man was not a monster. Surely he would not have been involved in such things? He was gentle and loving and had scruples and a conscience. She'd seen it and had benefited from it.

"Chuck, have you ever…killed a person?" She had to know.

"Yes. I had no choice. He was going to shoot my partner and I shot him. I can still see his face and I still have the occasional nightmare, but yes, Hannah, I've killed."

She got up and walked out without another word.

Chuck sighed and wiped his eyes with his fingers. So much for soul mates. Well, perhaps it was better this way. She'd leave and be out of danger. Things had a way of working out.

"Agent Bartowski, she is young. She does not understand the business we're in. Give her time. Don't shut her out. She needs to acclimate herself to this new 'revelation' about you. She will be back."

"Maybe it's for the best, sir. I have a bull's eye painted on my back and doubtless the Combine has a price on my head. I don't want to put her in danger. It's as you said that night, you would not bring harm to your loved ones by keeping them close."

"And do you love her? You've only just met."

"I don't know. The attraction, the 'awareness' we have of each other, it's like nothing I've ever experienced. Already I feel…less. But that's my problem."

"As her papa, it is my problem, too. Let's see what we can do together to bring you two back together. If that's what you want, of course." He was watching for any sign of deception.

"My mind says to let her go but my heart says to run to her and beg her to understand. I don't want her hurt because she knows me. There are people who would not hesitate to take her as bait to trap me and when she was no longer useful, they'd kill her. No. It's better this way."

His eyes betrayed him. Jacques could see the pain and anguish in them. He was taking the moral high road and had accepted the loss of his…

"So. Any more questions, Mr. Dubois? I came to ask you for help or advice on getting out of France and losing myself somewhere else. The 3rd world is probably the best place. They will be searching for me and I don't want you or Hannah involved, for obvious reasons. I don't want to repay your kindness by bringing trouble to you."

"You never told me about how you came to be this 'host'. You rambled and we both got off the track."

"I opened an email from Bryce Larkin and I awoke several hours later with a massive headache. Later, I was approached by my 'handlers' and the rest is history. My father, he's dead now, I think, he got it out of my head but then we got word that Fulcrum had another and we ran a last mission and I uploaded it again. It…cost me a lot to do that. It was devastating to my personal life but that's no longer important. I'm here now."

"Henri, coffee, please. I think the light Turkish blend. All this talking is making my throat dry."

"Now, Charles, we may have a place for you. We would need evidence of your willingness to support our cause. I propose a test."

"What kind of test? I already told you I'm not an assassin."

"No. But this test is just…destroying something physical. The CIA interrogation Chateau I asked you about. We've already made one rescue but we did not have the manpower to effect the release of others being held and 'interrogated' by the operators of the chateau. There are no Americans there. The job is 'outsourced' to Algerians living in France so there is no test of your oath to your mother country."

"Tell me more."

"Yes, but first, coffee. Although unusual, I think a toast is appropriate so raise your cup, Agent Bartowski, and drink to our Hannah and your success."

"So, the mission is simple. Using your skills, infiltrate a team into the Chateau, free all the prisoners and then destroy the Chateau with explosives your team will carry. Are you willing to do it?"

"Yes. When?" He was feeling strange. His arms seemed to weigh hundreds of pounds and he couldn't keep his head up. He'd been…

"When you wake up and after you've reconciled with my daughter." He motioned for Henri to have his guards carry Agent Bartowski back to the carriage house and to tell his daughter he'd 'relapsed'. He was not above meddling in the affairs of his daughter. He smiled at the play on words.

_'I missed her growing up but perhaps I'll get to watch my grandchildren instead.'_

* * *

He woke up and feigned sleep in order to assess the damages. The wily old bastard had drugged him with a 'light blend' of Turkish coffee. He'd given him a Mickey Finn. Old school to the end. At least he didn't have the 'something crapped in my mouth' taste or the pounding headache a trank dart left.

Chuck cracked one eye and saw Hannah standing before an easel painting. She must be really wired now. Fooling around with a murderer. She was probably painting his death mask. He told himself it was for the best. He'd survived losing Jill and being crushed by Walker's rejections. He could handle losing Hannah. He was sure of it.

She turned to glance at him and he saw what she was painting.

"Chuck, sleeping people don't blush. I was beginning to worry. Henri told me the drops would only last an hour at the most and it's been nearly two hours since you were brought back here. How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Beh…beh…"

"Henri said you'd have horrible 'cotton mouth'. Here. Drink. Then you and I are going to have a long talk and you're going to fill in the blanks left in your 'California fairy tale'. I'm sorry I left. I should have stayed by your side. Telling it must have dredged up horrible memories for you. Here I am, telling you on one hand 'I'm tough' while on the other I run like a little girl scared by thunder. I'm so sorry, Chuck. Please forgive me."

He nodded. He was toast. It had only been 6 days and already he would do almost anything to make her happy. This was a complication he did not need if the mission was to succeed. He could not allow his feelings to dictate his actions.

_'I understand Walker a little better. And Casey. But I will never be like them no matter what happens. I'll never be empty.'_

He raised a 100 lb arm and extended a 20 lb finger and pointed at the painting while raising a 1 lb eyebrow.

"It's you, of course. It's not finished. I've left the midsection blank until after I talked with you. I have your manhood thoroughly memorized but I wanted to give you the option of being immortalized as you are or with the benefit of a strategically-placed sheet." She giggled and the sound made him crack a smile and remember the last time she'd giggled like that.

"Some more water and then we'll talk. No secrets between us, Chuck. I won't judge you, I promise."

He told her everything from the time he'd opened up the damned email until he'd met her on the plane. If he left anything out it wasn't deliberate, except for names, of course. Sometimes she'd laugh. Once she cried, softly, but she listened and she didn't judge.

"Chuck, someday I'd like to meet Ellie and Captain Awesome. Do you think your sister will like me? Do you think we could be friends like she and Sarah were?"

"Sarah was never her friend. She was just playing a role in her cover. I don't think she cared, except maybe at the end when she had to make a decision to go with Bryce or stay with me and then shortly thereafter, it didn't matter."

"I can't imagine loving someone and having that person tear your heart out on a daily basis. You did the right thing at the train station. And now I understand a little better why we can't run. You're right, although I hate admitting it. I'd slow you down and get you captured or killed and I won't have that on my conscience."

He started to protest but she took his face in her hands. "Chuck, look at me. Remember when you said I was special? Well, I am special because you make me that way."

He'd worry about the Chateau later. Right now he wanted to spend some quality time with Hannah. A walk would help him purge the drug from his system and he needed to rebuild his strength for a mission. The wily old bastard had a lot more on the ball that appearances would suggest.


	9. Chapter 9

ChuckParis8

A/N: Hey, lurkers, let me know what you think of this crap.

Chapter 9 – Revelations, 2nd Thoughts, the Jail Break, Chuck Takes a Stand

* * *

US Embassy  
Paris, France

"Hi, Ellie, it's Chuck. I'm still in Paris and I've met someone very special and I don't think I'm coming back. Well, I guess you know I'm 'overdue' but she's everything you could hope for in a woman for me. I'll talk with you later and you can ask me 'why' then. I'm doing the right thing for me for a change. I love you, sis. Bye."

John Casey listened to the voicemail twice to be sure there weren't any more 'hidden meanings'. He couldn't imagine Beckman and Bartowski cooking up an idea so risky and not including his handlers as 'need to know'. On one hand he felt insulted but on the other, impressed and relieved.

Bartowski was alive. He hadn't killed him. He'd watched the 'shooting' file countless times wondering how Bartowski could have survived and he still couldn't figure it out.

He was just damned glad that he _had_ survived. One less cross to bear.

"Beckman, secure."

"Casey, secure. I'm forwarding you an audio file of the initial contact with Bartowski. Using his sister's cell phone as a cut out and forwarding any of his calls to us will work until we can establish something better. A call from Bartowski will always be routed here to 'her voicemail'. General, I don't know if there are any other messages hidden in it. That's why I'm sending you the file. Advise if there is additional information."

Beckman grunted and hung up.

* * *

Chateau Almandine  
15km Southwest of Paris

"Well, honey, I guess you've made up your mind about us, haven't you?"

Hannah had listened as he left a message to his sister and she was thrilled with his comments. She'd eavesdropped and felt no shame at all. When she quietly walked up behind him and put her arms around him he didn't flinch, if anything, he relaxed.

"Yeah, Hannah, I have. I want to be with you and see what life has in store for us. I'm scared I'll screw it up or the damned spy business will interfere but I'm in for the long haul, Hannah. We need to be very careful these next few months. The Combine will be looking for any sign of me since they haven't found a body."

"And you need to be careful on this mission. You still can't stand up straight without pain and I see your face after your damned runs – it's drawn in pain. Another week won't make any difference, honey. The Chateau will still be there. You've taken a week to get this far, another week, please, for me?"

"Even one day could make a difference to those inside with those butchers. No, it must be done and tonight is as good a night as any. Don't worry about me. Henri and Panzer have been 'assigned' to watch over me. I'll be OK and I'll be back before you know it."

He cursed Dubois for involving Hannah in this operation by allowing her to 'sit in' on the meeting. The planning and discussions had upset her when they talked about casualties, evacuating the prisoners and arranging for medical care. Depending on the degree of injury, four sites had been selected to receive the remaining prisoners. No one would be left behind.

* * *

The CIA 'Chateau'  
1am

Chuck drove up to the closed gates of the Chateau and pressed the call box from the window of the Mercedes. He had to press it and press it for about 10 minutes before a groggy voice asked him 'what the hell do you want? The brewery is closed.'

"I'm Agent Bartowski, CIA, and I've brought back the guest who checked out early some two weeks ago. Panzer is your guest's name."

"I tell you the brewery is closed. Come back in the morning."

"Well, Goddamn it, I got one of your escapees here and my orders are to return him to you. You better damned well open this frikkin' gate or you can explain to the station chief why you wouldn't take him back since you assholes lost him in the first place!"

"Don't get so pissy, Mr. CIA Agent. Bring him up to the main entrance. He left without paying his bill. Do you have his companion as well?"

"Some of my fellow agents are 'questioning her' intensely. She'll probably be along in a day or two."

Chuck heard the evil laugh and resolved to find the man and kill him.

They heard the 'clack' of the electric lock disengaging and then the gates retracted behind the brick wall that surrounded the courtyard. They drove up through the courtyard and parked.

Chuck and Henri dragged a bagged and groggy Hugo Panzer up to the barred door of the 'Chateau'. Chuck beat on the door with the butt of his silenced 9mm until an Algerian man opened the door. He nudged Panzer to prepare for the assault. The remainder of the team were watching the side and rear entrances. There was only one vehicle parked beside the 2-story structure and they'd slashed its tires to prevent an escape.

Chuck shot the man in the forehead and then Panzer slipped the false cuffs from his wrists and pulled the bag from his head and took the 9mm offered by Henri and grinned at Chuck.

"Guests, indeed, Bartowski. Good shot. He's the bastard that was going to rape our colleague and then question her."

They ran down the hallway to an open area that was used as the sleeping quarters for the prison interrogators. One Algerian was putting on his pants and Henri shot him while Panzer shot the still-sleeping remaining interrogator.

"Let's free our comrades. Bartowski, follow Henri and I; there may be other guards we don't know about and Miss Hannah would kill us if anything happened to her boytoy." He laughed to show it was a good natured jibe and Chuck just shook his head. The Casey of the Ring.

They ran down two levels. Chuck detailed other members of the assault squad to search the floors and prepare the explosives. The rear doors were open and 'ambulances' backed up to the loading docks to transport the prisoners to safety and medical treatment.

3rd Level

The lighting was fluorescent and the halls between the cells were well-lit. The 'cells' were small enclosures made of plywood with doors barred with 2X4 planks. The assault team began opening doors and carrying out prisoners.

"Wait. We're taking only our own. There are some here who may actually belong in a place like this. We take only our own." Chuck had to shout to be heard.

"What? We can make recruits of them. Shock troops. We take them all." Panzer was adamant.

"You'd fight along side terrorists who blow up schools and markets for politics?"

Panzer had the good sense to back off. Chuck's face said it all. Panzer remembered the casual way he'd taken care of him on the plane.

"Fine. We do it your way." He would talk to the Director about this and get agreement in advance on any future operations. This Bartowski was too damned straight-laced for his tastes.

* * *

Carriage House  
Chateau Almandine  
5am

Chuck eased into the foyer and kicked off his shoes. The operation was a success, the building was destroyed and there were no friendly casualties. The prisoners were in 'friendly' medical facilities. Perfect. He felt like a traitor and wanted nothing more than to wipe out the past 4 hours from his memory.

The Director had wanted a full debriefing and then he asked Chuck to 'wait outside and have a drink; this will only take a moment'. He pulled his silenced 9mm and placed it beside him on the table and fixed his coffee. He figured Panzer would bitch about leaving 'recruits' but he didn't care. Such animals belonged in prison somewhere and probably deserved the death they got.

He could hear raised voices but couldn't understand what was being said. It didn't matter. He'd done his job. The rest was up to the Director and his 'handlers' to decide if it was done properly or not. Except for the minor disagreement about leaving prisoners behind, it was a picture perfect mission. Casey would have been proud of him.

'_**Casey would shoot you where you sit, traitor!'**_ _His subconscious was not in agreement with his actions. Tough shit. He had a larger mission to accomplish._

_The door opened and Henri motioned Chuck in. He deliberately left his pistol on the tabletop for Henri to see. Carrying his coffee cup he entered and then sat at a gesture from Dubois._

"_Agent Bartowski, excellent work. One thing though, in the future, don't be so blood thirsty. The men you left behind and subsequently buried under the brewery rubble might have been useful in forming alliances."_

"_If you would form alliances with people, and I use the term generously, Director, with people who bomb schools, churches, synagogues, hospitals and marketplaces for political power, count me out of your program. There is no place on this planet for such vermin."_

_He waited. He wasn't sure if what he did was correct in this situation, but it was the right thing to do._

_The Director sighed, steepled his fingers and placed his chin on the tips. Finally he sat up straight and nodded to Chuck and then stood and offered his hand._

"_Welcome to the Ring, Leader Bartowski. I expect nothing but excellence from our leaders. See to it that you don't disappointment. That is all."_

_He glanced at Panzer but the man's face was a stony mask, totally unreadable. '__**I make friends wherever I go, it seems'. **_

He walked into their bedroom and undressed, grabbed clean underwear and ran a bath. He ached where the CIA had given him a gift. He leaned back in the old tub and let the hot water relax tense muscles and was almost asleep when Hannah slid into the hot water, her back to him but careful not to put any weight on the right side of his chest.

"Why didn't you wake me, honey? I was worried and I kept falling asleep and then waking up after dreaming horrible fates for you."

"You shouldn't worry. You'll get wrinkles and I'll need to find me another wench to cavort with."

"Bastard! If you weren't hurt and I didn't love you so much, I'd make you pay for that comment."

He leaned up to kiss her but failed to stifle a groan. "Sorry. Help me out and then I'll answer all your questions."

She dried him off and helped him put on his boxers and t-shirt and then helped him into bed. He wasn't a cripple but she liked feeling needed and he didn't mind. She brought him his pills and made a mental note to ask the doctor about refills. He'd been taking far too many of them while he did his runs and the other activities associated with mission preparation. He was scared of failing and what it would mean to them.

* * *

"Casey, secure." Casey was staying at the embassy guest quarters until things settled down. He didn't mind Paris but he hated the fact that it was full of Frenchmen.

"Beckman, secure. The 'Chateau' facility outside of Paris was raided last night, prisoners were freed but several, the majority, were left to die in the explosions that demolished the building. Live feeds from the security cameras have some interesting images. I'll send you the file. He should be contacting me within the next 48 hours unless something has gone wrong and he hasn't been sufficiently convincing, in which case we'll probably never hear from him. Review the files, Colonel, and call me back with any comments."

"Once he contacts me, I'll hand him off to you. Buy a burn cell phone, email me the telephone number and stand by, Colonel Casey. Beckman out."

* * *

Karlplatz  
Stockholm, Sweden

Carina Hansen and Sarah Walker were walking across the main thoroughfare in Stockholm. Carina was on leave and so she called Sarah, thinking she was still in Burbank.

When she was told about Chuck and her current assignment, she flew to be with her friend. She couldn't understand Sarah's feelings at all. She should have requested reassignment a long time ago and hoped to 'find' Chuck later in life when things would be less complicated.

"Carina, I'm going to kill Daniel Shaw. He had Chuck murdered. Casey was just following orders. I failed to protect my asset. It's the first time I've failed, Carina. He's dead because I didn't protect him. He was in Paris because I lost focus on what was important and now he's dead. Shaw killed him so I'm going to kill _him_."

"Sarah, listen to yourself. That's foolish talk. He did what he thought was right. You even said you thought he was turning to the Ring. How can you blame Shaw for doing what he should have done?"

"Because there's more to Shaw than meets the eye. I don't believe this 'Ring Vendetta' crap for one minute any more. Both Casey and I think he's into something and getting rid of Chuck was part of this plan of his. I think his 'support' for Chuck was all crap and his interest in me was just to make Chuck even more emotionally confused and isolated. It worked, too."

"Bullshit. I'm your friend, Sarah, but you're just looking for someone else to blame. You rejected him. You tore him apart every time you got the opportunity. I saw it. You were being cruel for no reason at all, none! Now you're blaming Shaw for Chuck's death when he wouldn't even have been here if you hadn't been such a bitch to him."

"That's not true. I was going to give up everything I loved for him but he just had to be the hero and download 2.0; I don't care what you say, Carina. I had nothing at all to do with this. I'm as much a victim as Chuck was. Shaw manipulated us, me, and this was the result."

"What about the video file I gave you. Surely you can't ignore your own eyes and ears? How could you continue to hurt him after seeing the file and hearing what he said? Hell, I would have been on my knees begging his forgiveness if I'd been you. You threw away a wonderful and decent man for your damned pride!"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's over. He's dead. Shaw will be soon, too. Now, let's find a club and let our hair down. I need to let go and Stockholm is the perfect place to do it. Please, no more about Chuck. He's dead, we're alive, and all the talk of blame is not going to bring him back."

Carina said nothing about the one isolated tear that threatened to ruin Sarah's makeup. The Cardinal Rule was there for a reason.


	10. Chapter 10

ChuckParis9

A/N: Last chance, lurkers.

* * *

Chapter 10 – Casey's Booty Call with Alex and Chuck Kicks his Ass

Nothing happened for two weeks. Chuck ran, trained with Panzer in the gym and spent hours on the range becoming familiar with Ring weapons systems. He knew it was a period of 'observation' by the Ring Director General.

"Chuck, the Director wishes to see you in the salon. There is an operation he wants your input on."

"Charles, I would appreciate your input. We have a deep cover mole in the Dutch government who has valuable intelligence for us but has no way to 'meet' safely with our representatives because they are almost all known to the Dutch security services. The Dutch have even managed to infiltrate our cell operating out of The Hague where they influence cases and decisions of the World Court in favor of our clients."

"Does the mole have a social life within the government? Parties, receptions, conferences?" Chuck could see a standard CIA 'meet 'n greet' scenario.

"No. Her position is lower level staff analysis. Nothing that would allow her access to the social setting you're imagining but there is surveillance on her because of the sensitive nature of her work."

"Hobbies, leisure time activities? Surely even a mole has things she does in her free time? Perhaps a vacation to a less restricted environment? Like the beaches in the south of France?"

"She paints and very well, too. She shows her paintings at galleries in Amsterdam and she has a showing next week in Antwerp. I see your idea, Charles. Get to her in neutral territory, and then exchange the data for the payoff."

"Payoff? I thought you said she was one of our operatives, not a paid traitor?"

"Everyone has to eat, Charles. Didn't you receive a paycheck from the Combine?"

Chuck blushed and admitted he wasn't paid until the very end. "No. I had a job when Larkin sent the damned thing to me and the handlers kept me at it. It made operations difficult. I had two lives, sometimes three to balance. And no government check. Well, once the intersect version 1.0 was removed, I got a check and paid for my sister's wedding."

"Cheap bastards. OK, let me investigate the facilities available and where and then we can arrange an exchange. The data is on several compressed discs, no more than 20 or so. I'll get back to you, Charles. In the meantime, take some time off and take Hannah shopping. You'll find suitable financial instruments in the desk of the Carriage House. We pay well for a job well done."

* * *

Chuck found Henri in the Chateau kitchen eating one of his perpetual snacks. He found himself comparing the little gnome to Morgan Grimes and smiled at the similarities. _'Except that Morgan only killed people playing Call of Duty.'_

"Henri, the Director 'suggested' that I take some time off and take Hannah shopping. Where do you suggest?"

"Why, Paris, of course. I will drive for you as I'm sure you would prefer not having to navigate the streets as well as _le parking. _Would you like to go this afternoon? You could spend the night in a hotel and have a quiet dinner and then some dancing and then…the next day let her spend your money?" He had a grin on his face that reminded him of Awesome.

"I'll ask her. I have to check on funds. And make a reservation for a room. That sounds great to me though. She loves to shop and haggle."

"Chuck, we own several hotels in Paris. I'll take care of it. As for money, check your desk drawer for cash and credit cards. Note the name though for signature purposes. I shall register your reservations in the name of Charles and Hannah Windsor to match your credit cards. OK?"

"Ironic, don't you think?"

"Oh, the name? Yes. Should I call your maid servant to attend you, Monsieur Le Prince?"

"I suppose you picked the name?" He had a warped sense of humor.

"But of course."

* * *

Paris

Henri drove the couple to Paris and dropped them off at their hotel. It was one of the better hotels in Paris and again Chuck was afforded a unique view of how the Ring paid for its operations. Just like the Mafia, they operated legitimate business fronts and used them for multiple purposes.

They registered, surrendered passports, and were taken up to their suite of rooms. Apparently being involved with the Director's daughter carried perks and a suite was one of them.

Hannah looked amused by something, looking at him, looking away but smiling broadly.

"What? Why are you laughing?"

"You didn't notice the passports, did you, sweetie?"

"No. Why? Oh, no, don't tell me my passport doesn't agree with how I registered? Stupid. I should have checked…"

"No. Actually, I meant my passport. It's in the name of Hannah Windsor. Did I miss the honeymoon, honey?" She smiled that slow, seductive smile that always sent messages to his groin…and she used it with wicked intent.

"Um, well, Henri picked the names so I guess we can blame him. As for a honeymoon…we've got hours until we need to get dressed for dinner." He did the patented Bartowski eyebrow dance and it worked…for a change.

Sometime later, she snuggled up against her 'husband' and whispered in his ear, waking him from a doze. "Chuck, we need to get ready for dinner. I'm starved. C'mon, sweetie. You can't be that tired."

"Call the restaurant. See if they deliver. All Chinese restaurants deliver. They invented 'takee-outee'."

"No. We're going out to eat and then hit a club I know of. You'll like it. Slow dancing, cheap booze, good music, easy women…"

"Sounds like heaven. What are you going to be doing?" That earned him an elbow in the stomach. "Move it, Chuck. I'm hungry and I get very disagreeable when I'm not regularly fed. And I get cold and distant and inaccessible. You don't want that, do you?"

"Humph. Sounds like most of the married women I know… Ouch!"

"Smart ass. Now get up and dressed. Feed me."

* * *

Alexandra Forrest was in Paris on business…monkey business. Ever since the 49B episode in Burbank, she and John Casey would 'run into each other' and spend as much time together as they could. She hated feeling needy but she loved having the need fulfilled. She was staying at a less than reputable pension owned by a former operative of the French intelligence service and his wife. Alex had met them on her very first operational mission and they'd been friends ever since.

"Casey, secure." He looked at the number and smiled.

"Forrest, horny. I'm in Paris for a week. Can you get free, sugar? I'm between jobs and have a week to spend doing 'Alex things'. Got any ideas?"

"I'm doing nothing important, just waiting for a contact with a deep cover operative. Say an hour?"

"An hour? Where then hell are you, Johnny? Aren't you in Burbank?"

"US Embassy in Paris at the VIP quarters. The Team has been terminated. You heard about Bartowski?"

"No. The nerd finally ran away with the CIA blonde?" She hated Sarah Walker with a purple passion. She paused wondering why he hadn't immediately replied. "John, what happened?"

"He's dead. He walked into something no one understood until it was too late. He was…I killed him, Alex."

"Oh…my. We'll talk when you get here. It's been too long since last time."

"Yeah. Way too long. See you in an hour or so. Maybe we can go to dinner and talk. I've learned to like walking in Paris. Only problem with it is it's full of the damned French!"

She laughed. He'd never forgive the French for their behavior before the Iraq invasion. Never. He was very good at holding a grudge.

"See you then, sugar. Bring a change of clothes this time, OK?"

"Yeah. I'd planned on it, several."

Alex disconnected the call and smiled. Progress. They'd never spent the night together. Not even if they stayed in the same hotel. And 'several' changes of clothes? Oh…my, indeed.

* * *

Henri was bored. He hated having to watch the young American. It was obvious where his loyalties lie, with the Ring or more specifically, with Director Dubois. The daughter, of course, was simply lagniappe. He made a decision. He would 'entertain' himself. Perhaps at Madame Rosa's.

He called Chuck, made certain they wouldn't need the car, and told him to enjoy his evening and that he was 'only a call away' if he needed him. Chuckling and feeling very pleased with himself, he drove to the one place he knew he could forget his troubles.

John Casey's cab dropped him at an address about 4 blocks from the small hotel Alex was staying in. He liked to walk. It gave him time to think, plan, or just enjoy being out and about. If he was being tailed it allowed him to shake the tail or take it out. He wouldn't lead anyone to Alex.

Chuck and Hannah finally dressed for dinner and strolled arm in arm down the broad sidewalk to the restaurant Hannah had suggested. She knew Chuck was not an 'adventurous eater' and so she picked a Chinese restaurant because he'd always spoken of how he missed Chinese food.

"Chuck, you know on the plane, the first time I saw you I knew I was going to be with you forever. It was love at first sight for me. The French call it _Le Click_."

"It wasn't that way for me. Not until you showed me your paintings. It was lust at… OOOF!" She elbowed him in the stomach.

"It was not lust. You were shy and I practically had to rape you, honey. You were so cute."

"Please, change the…" He saw Casey at exactly the same moment Casey saw him. Chuck pushed Hannah into a doorway and sprinted towards the NSA colonel who used to be his handler and, he thought, friend. He had his 9mm out and was screwing on the silencer as he ran. Casey just smiled and stood there, waiting.

Chuck stopped 6 feet from Casey, raised his pistol and sighted in on the Colonel's forehead. "Why? Why did Beckman put out a sanction on me? Was it you who pulled the trigger? Or was it Walker? No, not Walker. Shaw or you. Answer my question, Colonel, it is not a request. Why?"

Casey knew his next words would be his last or the first of an interesting conversation. "Why, indeed. Beckman said you'd call but you haven't. Is there a problem with your cover?"

Chuck was stunned for about 3 seconds, long enough for Casey to close the distance and clap him on the shoulder. "God damn, Chuck, it's good to see you alive. I thought I'd killed you! Beckman only briefed me about your new operation 3 weeks ago and I've been waiting for your call. I'm your case officer, Chuck."

"Shit. Hannah's seen you and she knows who you are. I'm sorry, John, but too much has happened and I'm too close to getting inside to let anything stop me. Are you wearing a vest?"

"What? No. No vest. Shit. Go ahead. Try for the shoulder, left one. Go ahead. Do it. It's gotta be done."

"Sorry, John. I'll be in touch." He floored him with a spin kick to the side of the head and then dragged him into an alley between two apartment buildings. He scribbled a note on a piece of paper he found in Casey's pocket and then hurried back to get Hannah.

"Hannah, we gotta go, baby. My cover's been blown. C'mon. We can't drag ass. This place will be crawling with NSA in minutes. Damn it. I can't have a moment's piece just to take my girl to dinner. Shit."

He used his cell and called Henri, briefed him and asked for suggestions.

"Go to the hotel. Enjoy room service. Tomorrow go shopping. You'll have security all around you. Do not worry. Calling me was the right thing to do. Now, take Hannah and return to the hotel. Chuck, did you kill him?"

"I couldn't risk anyone seeing me kill him, especially Hannah, so I just used some of Panzer's kung fu on him. If he doesn't have a skull fracture, he'll be OK."

"Good, because the Director frowns on any 'business' in France, even when you're being hunted, understand? Now, return to the hotel. All will be taken care of."

* * *

Casey staggered out of the alley and into the street. He was glad that Bartowski had the sense to 'take him out' but wished he'd worn a vest instead. He shook his head to clear it and called Alex on his cell to explain his predicament and to ask her to meet him 'half way' since he wasn't sure he wouldn't pass out again. He had a hell of a concussion and that screwed his plans for the night. Alex told him he was less than a block away but to hurry.

He replaced his cell and heard the crinkling of paper in his coat pocket. Bartowski had left him a wise assed note: 'Moron, wear a vest next time.'

He also put in some GPS coordinates and a date and time. Casey memorized the note and then shredded it and dropped a piece in each trash receptacle as he passed one.

* * *

"Sorry about dinner, Hannah. What were the odds of running into my old handler in Paris. From the look on his face it wasn't prearranged. He was just walking down the damned street…"

"Hey, room service is fine. I always wanted to dine in the nude in some posh place and this is posh enough. Now, let it go. Shit happens. Coincidence, nothing more." She fed him more pheasant and shivered as he licked her fingers clean of the meat and juices. This was much better than Chinese.

* * *

Dubois echoed his daughter's comments when he spoke to Henri. "It sounds like coincidence, bad luck, nothing more. His reaction was tempered and he acted wisely in calling you for counsel. Add two men to his security detail and Henri, stay away from Madame Rosa's. You're too old and those young ladies are young enough to be your grandchildren."

They shared a laugh since Henri was younger than the Director.

* * *

"Beckman, secure. Have you a contact report, Colonel Casey?"

"Oh, yeah. A 'contact' report, alright." He related the events and gave her Chuck's message. Beckman fed the GPS into her computer since Casey was 'in the field'. After determining the city, she narrowed the scope and obtained a street address. "Antwerp, Belgium. Apparently our young agent is going to be in Antwerp on that date. Here is the street address; it's an art gallery. Curious."

"General, I need a partner if I'm going to be running around the countryside. Agent Forrest is between assignments and is here in Paris. She's worked with Chuck before."

"I'll send through the paperwork. I assume you can find her and brief her in on the operation? Also, include the intersect host info." Of course she knew about Casey's dalliances. She kept track of him for various reasons.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." Things were definitely looking up in Casey's world.

He walked in to the small hotel and found Alex waiting in the lobby chatting with the man behind the desk. She took one look at his face and took him by the hand and up to her room. There was a story there that she wanted to hear.

She pulled some pills from her travel kit and gave him two. "These work wonders for concussion-induced headaches. You'll be doing the tango in a few hours.

He grunted. "I don't tango. Now, you're my new partner. You up for a long-term stay in France? I can guarantee you it will be interesting."

Her smile softened the harsh planes of her face and took years off her as well. 'Interesting' was hardly the word Alexandra Forrest would use in future months.

* * *

Alexandra's Tale

Alexandra Forrest was graduated with honors from Sarah Lawrence with degrees in Anthropology and Psychology. She received a Masters in Behavioral Psychology from Columbia University and was recruited into the CIA where she counseled agents returning from deep cover assignments, agents who'd suffered from mental trauma from torture, and evaluated the effectiveness of partnerships in the field using the methodology known as the 49B.

Her last field evaluation had been with Team Intersect where she'd found that the asset was totally emotionally involved with his CIA handler. It had been her evaluation that led to her temporary assignment as Casey's partner while Agent Walker had been transferred. It had been an enlightening experience for her. Not rewarding but certainly enlightening.

She applied for a transfer to field status and served in several roles until she finally was assigned to the 'Circus' Team based in Paris and partnered with her occasional lover, Colonel John Casey, NSA. Occasional became full time and both of them were delighted.

General Beckman saw this as an opportunity to create a cover relationship that would allow the deep cover agent to regularly report to a case officer as well as allow the agent 'venting' space. Agent Forrest was established as a well-documented 'therapist' in Paris with a public relationship with Colonel Casey of the American embassy and a private practice with a very discreet clientele.

* * *

Sarah Walker requested and was granted a leave. Beckman knew that the Bartowski 'death' had hit her hard and she wanted her 'back in the game' as quickly as possible. She informed Sarah that she would be coming back to the US and would head up a special task force to locate and take out the remaining Fulcrum hives. Beckman figured she'd focus her anger on her task and she was right as usual.

Daniel Shaw disappeared while conducting investigations into Ring activities 'off the books' in Vienna and was listed as 'missing, presumed dead'. No one shed a tear, least of all the woman who'd tracked him down and killed him, avenging the death of her asset.


	11. Chapter 11

ChuckParis10

A/N: You had your chance. It'll be a while before you see chapter 12 bwahaha

* * *

Chapter 11: The Antwerp Exchange

It was almost like being back with Team Bartowski. The commo van was in place and Chuck, with a nervous Hannah on his arm, was verifying communications. She was no Sarah Walker, thank God.

"Leader, on line." He was using a cuff mike and his earwig was already bugging the crap out of him. The Ring used Eastern Bloc commo equipment and it was bulky and lacked the crispness of NSA equipment. The occasional hiss and crackle in his ear was very distracting.

"Panzer, see what you can do about cleaning up the signal. Static and that damned hissing again." Panzer turned out to have a gift for commo. He could make the most clunky equipment work like a dream. This was a nightmare.

"Sorry, Chuck. Best I can do. Maybe we can steal some of the top-drawer NSA stuff you left behind?" He loved zinging him about his alleged NSA connections and Chuck tolerated it since he hated having a sulking Panzer in his ear.

"Find me an NSA cache in Europe and I'll get you some. It's up to you to encrypt it, though."

They were walking from the limo to the gallery and Chuck could feel Hannah's arm trembling. She'd been reluctant to accompany him until he explained her role and how he needed her. That was all it took.

He leaned over and whispered, "Have I told you how beautiful and exotic you look, Hannah Nguyen? That thing you're wearing…it should be illegal."

"It's called an Ao-Dai, Chuck and it's very chic. Do you think it's too daring?" She was concerned it might be inappropriate.

""Nope. It's just so damned clingy and I'll spend more time beating off men than making contact with Katrin ter Horst, that's all." The Ao-Dai was pure silk and Hannah had decided to be brazen and braless. Her breasts were accentuated and stimulated by the pure silk that encased them.

The high-collared, long sleeved top pinched in at the waist and then draped over her hips into a floor-length skirt that accentuated her legs and revealed almost all her charms with a slit up the side. The slight October chill made her regret not wearing a bra but the look on Chuck's face warmed her core.

"You don't think it's…"

"No. I think it's perfect. You're perfect. Now, remember, no flirting and you stay with me, no matter what. I won't let anything ruin our evening, baby. If I give you the word, head for the ladies' room and stay there until I call you. No sense anyone connecting you with the exchange in case something goes wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong, Chuck. Nothing will spoil our first real 'outing' together."

Chuck just smiled and squeezed her hand. 'Nothing' could be the Belgian security service, Interpol, the CIA or NSA or even the Dutch Special Security Branch.

Chuck snagged a flute of champagne for Hannah but went without a drink because he wanted to keep the hand that wasn't around his lady free to access his weapon if necessary.

"Let's check out her work. I doubt it'll hold a candle to what my Hannah can do but we shall be charitable." He affected an elite British accent and his snootiness had Hannah in stitches.

"Stop, Chuck. I'll snort Champagne all over the place if you make me laugh."

He whispered in her ear that later he would enjoy drinking champagne from her navel and marveled at how she blushed and managed to look both innocent and seductive at the same time.

"I heard that, Chuck! Keep your mind on the mission. You'll have time to savor the champagne after the debriefing." Panzer chuckled and Chuck again was struck by the similarities between Casey and Panzer.

"Roger that, Panz…uh oh, target in sight. She's surrounded by half a dozen 'patrons of the arts' so this may take a while."

Loudly, he said, "Hannah, I think there's the artist you told me about. Are you certain this is the painting you wish to purchase?"

The 'payoff' would be in the form of a draft drawn on a bank account in Dijon that would close the day after the draft cleared. The exchange would be handled here. The operatives of the Ring were used to the subterfuge and understood that the cash was always in the bank. They had an excellent reputation for reliability that Chuck found contradictory to their purpose.

"Yes, Charles, as I've told you before, I must have it. Consider it an investment. She's already quite well known in Holland and Belgium. She'll be showing in Paris next, you'll see." She played her part of the 'needy' wife well. They were speaking French to keep up their covers but would use English with the mole who spoke no French.

Hannah pushed her way into the group surrounding the chubby brunette mole, Katrin ter Horst, and introduced herself, speaking in rapidly fluent French. The gallery manager tried to interpret but she was speaking too fast. Finally, Chuck interrupted and asked if she spoke English, knowing full well that she did. Agent Alexandra Forrest, CIA, obviously spoke English.

"Yes, I speak English. Your…companion seems quite enthusiastic about something. Perhaps you could explain?" She was obviously flirting with Chuck, waiting for a code phrase; he was her contact.

"Explanations for why she wants a painting? Her reasons are her own." The group all laughed since they frequently could not explain their own desires to own art. The code phrase given, Chuck waited patiently for the preliminaries.

"And do _you_ like what you see, Mr…?" She had the code phrase but kept him engaged in conversation. Hannah stiffened and pressed herself against Chuck as if to remind him she was there. This fat Dutch whore was obviously after her man and she wasn't about to yield one single millimeter of ground to her.

"Windsor, Charles Windsor and this vision is my wife, Hannah. No, I don't particularly like the impressionists but she has her heart set on it and so she shall have it." _Back off, Alexandra, I'm taken._ _Jesus, Alex, better stay away from the pasties. You're getting…round and that brunette wig is so not you._

"And payment?"

"I'll write you a draft on my bank in Dijon and when the draft clears, have the painting delivered to our home in Paris. We will be in Italy for the remainder of the month. My agent will handle the arrangements."

Chuck wrote the draft for 20,000 Euros and knew the discs would be delivered to his hotel by courier from the bank where the real Katrin ter Horst had placed them in a safety deposit box before being snatched off the street by the NSA. She would be held in detention for the foreseeable future.

The discs would be delivered to his hotel by secure courier after the bank received a code phrase. All very secure and almost impossible to trace.

Business done, he and Hannah walked around the gallery, comfortable in their roles and enjoying each other's company. Hannah's momentary flash of jealousy and insecurity when the mole had come on to Chuck was forgotten – for now.

"Leader, leave immediately. There are security forces setting up a perimeter. We'll meet you back at the hotel. Henri has the limo in place."

"Hannah, time to fly. Let's go."

"But Chuck…" She stopped when she saw the pinched look on his face. She leaned up and kissed him and whispered, "Champagne and my navel await". She laughed again at the look on his face as she dragged him towards the door. Chuck could see the security vans beginning to disgorge their agents and he and Hannah walked to the limo but he stopped her.

"In case I don't get the chance later…" he kissed her soundly and she responded exactly as a wife would, ignoring the line of armed men forming on either side of the entrance.

She raised her thigh and rubbed against his and tried to get as close to him as possible. The slit in her gown served to distract some of the security force. Her leg was an example of her best assets and it was displayed nearly to the hip making the casual observer think she was nude underneath the outfit – which she was.

An officer detached himself from the detail and told the two lovers to 'get in the damned limo and get a room'.

* * *

Penthouse Suite  
Hotel Metropol  
Antwerp

The debriefing went quickly. No complaints, no mistakes, and best of all, they were totally above suspicion. Everyone remembered them as a wealthy couple that purchased a painting and then practically had sex in front of the gallery. Mostly they remembered Hannah's dress. Henri and Panzer were both relaxed and drinking Chuck's champagne.

"Went perfectly, Leader. Good op. The Director General will be pleased. This time tomorrow you and Hannah will be in Rome as part of your cover. Check in there with Leader Ricci and hand over the discs to him for decryption. The move is in keeping with your comments in the Gallery."

"Why did the security forces show up?" He had an idea but wanted to hear Panzer's comments first.

"No idea. Our man there says that supposedly someone phoned in an anonymous tip that there was going to be a meeting of a big money laundering cell but they questioned everyone with no arrests. Our mole is happy and will be back in Holland in three days."

They left immediately after that leaving Chuck to finish off the splits of champagne from Hannah's navel. "Best champagne I've tasted in a while, Hannah."

They finally slept, Chuck tired from the tension of his first anti-Ring operation and Hannah tired from the almost desperate and hungry sex they'd had. _'If he's like this after every mission, I'll make damned sure I go with him.'_

* * *

Small suite  
7th floor  
Hotel Metropol  
Antwerp, Belgium

"Alex, you strayed from the mission protocol. Why the additional dialogue with Bartowski? You might have compromised the mission, damn it. He wasn't expecting you, and your comments were misleading."

"He's changed. He's different. He's confident, cocky almost. Maybe you were right about Shaw's approach. He sure seems to have his shit together. He didn't even blink when I turned around when his 'companion' approached me and he knew it was me, Casey."

"Yeah, he's different all right. Focused and he didn't even miss a beat when you turned around. I just hope he won't catch any crap when the 'discs' the messenger delivers turn out to be fake."

"He knew the risks when he made the plan. Now, we got what we wanted, how about giving me what I want? And can you _please_ help me off with this damned 'fat suit'? The wig was hot but this is just sweltering. I'll need a shower…"

* * *

Penthouse Suite  
Hotel Metropol  
Antwerp 9am

Hannah answered the door and signed for the delivery from the courier service. "Chuck, the courier has delivered the discs." He was still in the shower. They'd overslept and were rushing to make up lost time. They had a plane to catch for Rome.

Chuck walked out in a towel and opened the aluminum case after keying in the combination provided by the mole. He slammed the case shut angrily and called Henri.

"Henri, you and Panzer get up here right away. We have a problem with the merchandise." He disconnected and hurried to dress.

Fifteen minutes later they were examining the discs. "Porn! The bitch sent us shitty pornographic movies. Why? She's been loyal and reliable for 2 years now." Henri was angry and perplexed. People did not toy with the Ring. They punished disloyalty quickly and violently.

"Henri, have a local cell locate and 'detain' Miss ter Horst for our interrogation. Panzer, report back to the Director General. Also advise him Hannah and I will be staying here until this mess is resolved. He can handle notifying Leader Ricci of our change of plans. Damn it. Why would she do this?"

Hannah had sat quietly listening and watching. She knew why Chuck was so upset. He was still uncomfortable with working with her father and felt anything less than a perfect performance cast doubt on his abilities and made him feel he was being 'tolerated' because of her.

Henri sensed his Leader's discomfort and took him aside while Panzer reported to the Director. "Chuck, these things happen. It was a perfect operation. She either went underground or was compromised in Holland. We, _you_, did everything right. These things happen."

"Not to me they don't. Have a cell in Amsterdam go to her residence. Look for anything that might indicate a reason for her defection. Be discreet but direct. I want to know their findings as soon as possible. Damn it! How am I supposed to win the confidence of the Ring when things like this happen?"

He was not just play-acting. The case was supposed to contain discs with randomly-encrypted worthless data that would tie up the Ring cryptographers and give them fits thinking the NSA had a new encryption system in place. Porn! Someone had screwed up the plan on the NSA side.

He was angry. He was tired and most of all he was disappointed in the organization he had entrusted his life with. The damned NSA.

"Casey, secure."

"Motherfucker. You're playing with fire when you fuck with me, Casey. Switching those discs out was not the plan and now I'm in serious trouble. You assholes fuck up again and you'll find out for real what the Ring can do with the intersect. Find out who fucked up and remove them from this op. Put them in cold storage for all I care. I don't trust you anymore."

He disconnected leaving Casey staring at the phone and wondering just what happened. Cold storage implied a team member needed to be put in detention indefinitely. Serious charges with serious consequences.

He called Beckman and basically repeated his message to Casey less the 'fuck' words. He had respect for Beckman but little or none at all for Casey. Not now.

"I'll look into it immediately. How serious is your situation?" She knew for him to break cover so spectacularly meant the consequences could prove…terminal.

"I've put on a full-court press so someone better pony up a live sacrifice. I will not be an Aztec Lucky Virgin finalist, General. I've put my life on hold for this. Make it right or forget about the plan. I'll either be dead or off the grid so deep you'll need a bathysphere to find me."

"Contact me within the next five days." If he didn't contact her, it meant he was dead. He'd never abandon the mission.

* * *

Unknown Location

Sarah Walker rallied her action team around her. The warehouse was a treasure trove of currencies from many nations, bars of gold bullion and counterfeit bearer bonds and plates for printing more. They'd located the Fulcrum 'financial services center', the Fulcrum equivalent of the Federal Reserve. She was pleased but still it wasn't enough.

"Bring those traitors over here. Tie them to the chairs. Use double zip ties. Go away for an hour. I'll have more information for us to act upon by the time you return. Check the remainder of the building for anyone or anything we might have missed. Prepare the structure for demolition."

The structure went up in a magnificent explosion. They'd removed all the counterfeiting plates, bonds and bullion and then destroyed the building. After her vigorous interrogation, she now had a partial listing of names of Fulcrum and Ring operatives including a new Leader-designate named Windsor based in France and very well connected.


	12. Chapter 12

ChuckParis11

A/N: For the Dutchman and the other 13 who are faithful despite the threats from the mob...

Chapter 12 – The Funeral, the Ultimatum and the Assault

* * *

Hannah's stepfather passed away unexpectedly and she flew from Antwerp to San Francisco for the funeral and to spend time with her mother. Her adopted family had suffered a terrible loss and Chuck told her to take as long as she needed to reconnect and provide her mother with support.

She didn't want to go. There was nothing between her and her 'step-father'. She even called him by name, not 'Dad' or some other honorific. She knew Chuck needed her but he insisted that she fulfill her responsibilities to her family and support her mother. She reluctantly agreed and it was a tearful farewell. She cried because she was leaving him at a time of crisis and because she hated being around her adoptive family, except her little brothers.

Chuck was awakened by her call at 3:30am but was happy to receive it. He missed her.

"Baby, I'm in San Francisco at the airport and I'm meeting a driver from the funeral home who was sent to pick me up. I see the sign. I'll call you when I get home, Chuck, and have time to talk. I miss you and I'll be back by your side as soon as I'm certain my mother is OK. I love you, Chuck. Watch your ass and don't drink too much with Henri and definitely don't party with him. I'll be back in your arms as soon as I can, lover. Don't forget me."

"Yes, dear. Now go take care of your mom. I'll talk with you later. I love you too, Ms. Nguyen."

They disconnected and Hannah smiled. It was the first time he'd used the 'L' word.

She spotted the sign for 'Hannah Harris' and frowned. Since high school she'd been 'Hannah Nguyen'; she did it more to insult her mother's husband than because she felt tied to her roots. She introduced herself to the driver and surrendered her baggage claim tickets and proceeded through Customs.

* * *

Antwerp  
Two Days Later

Chuck stayed in Antwerp, determined to get to the bottom of the blown mission. His conversation with Casey had driven a wedge between them and he was reluctant to contact him for information or support. He dealt with Beckman and she was not happy with it.

"Agent Bartowski, you have a case officer. Deal with him, not me."

"When he proves himself trustworthy again, I will. Until then, it's you and me, General."

"Fine." A huge sigh from the general carried a lot of frustration and resignation. "Colonel Casey says that one of our operatives switched the discs to 'flip the bird' to the Ring. He says it won't happen again."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Has Agent Forrest been replaced? She jeopardized our entire mission for some juvenile prank. Totally unprofessional."

"What's really bugging you, Agent? You would have done something similar yourself once upon a time."

"And I'd have been just as stupid and wrong as Alex was. Fine. I'll let it slide this time but it's my ass on the line here, General, not a chair-warmer in DC or some cold-hearted bitch of an agent in Belgium."

"Alexandra Forrest has opened up a psychotherapy practice in Paris, all purely cover for your operation. You'll need to establish contact and set up a working cover for your meetings. Agent Bartowski, you'll need someone you can dump on, vent, report to. She'll serve that function. She's an accomplished therapist, and everything is confidential. It has to be. Use the sessions to pass on intel but understand that everything else will go unreported. My word on it."

"I have a meeting to attend. How are you getting along with…um…the Director General's daughter?" Sometimes she could see the forest for despite the trees.

He hung up on her. It was his personal business not the damned NSA or anyone else's. She wasn't returning his calls and she'd been gone almost 2 days without contact after she'd called to tell him she'd gotten to San Francisco OK. He was worried. He had no time to screw around with a shrink, even if she was his case officer.

* * *

Henri found Chuck sitting in a small café across from the hotel. He was well into a bottle of Irish whiskey, something Henri had never seen him do before and it worried him. Both he and Panzer had grown fond of him despite Panzer's initial dislike and Henri's natural reluctance to trust a traitor. All that changed after the Brewery and Antwerp. There was no question where his loyalties lie.

"Chuck, the Director General requires us back in Paris. Something important is in the wind and he needs your input and counsel. We fly out immediately. Are you OK?"

"Yep. Just fine and dandy. Hannah must be having a large time since she can't find the time to return a damned phone call. Yeah, I'll be ready. Anything on ter Horst?"

He noted the topic switch and he became the Ring professional once again.

"Nothing, Leader. Her residential apartment had been ransacked and she hasn't reported for work and her bureau has put her on a security watch. I fear the CIA or one of the European agencies has her."

* * *

Chateau Almandine  
Paris, France

"Chuck, it is good to see you. You've left no stone unturned in the Antwerp fiasco and no blame can be placed on your team. Things happen in this business. But I didn't call you back to discuss failure."

"I received a coded file from the North American Directorate. They are demanding autonomy and my resignation. They are holding my Hannah hostage as leverage. I have 72 hours to make the announcement to the Directorate or they will kill Hannah."

The Ring was riddled with political intrigue and diverse ideas about what the real underlying purpose of the world organization should be. Most regions were supportive of the 'mercenary intelligence agency' concept that had been the driving idea behind the organization since its inception and the source of its incredible wealth and influence.

Two influential directorships, North America and the Far Eastern Region did not agree. They believed in a more direct and controlling approach. They infiltrated governments with Fulcrum or Ring operatives to influence and direct the actions and outcomes of international events with the goal of total control of the government. They would _be_ the government.

"Let me see the file. If it's the Ring or Fulcrum in the US…" He flashed but it was incomplete. The damned emotional barrier was back, now when he needed to flash the most.

He closed his eyes and went through the 'centering' exercise Shaw had showed him and he flashed – on the entire structure of the Ring as well as personnel and locations. It was too much to really comprehend but he recited as much as he could.

Dubois had never witnessed Chuck accessing the intersect in such detail and he was shocked at how pale he became and how labored his breathing appeared. He was equally shocked and dismayed at the level of knowledge the NSA possessed on his organization.

Together they watched the ransom video file. The 'narrator' stood in shadows but Chuck's flash had included a few voiceprints. This was the Ring Director, Howard Dill, also the Director of Covert Operations for the CIA's South American region. This was not good.

Hannah was healthy and appeared unmolested and was holding up a copy of the USA Today showing the date. She had been crying and her face betrayed her fears.

"Proof of life as of yesterday." He wracked his brain for additional information.

"They're probably holding her on the west coast since transporting her would be unnecessarily risky. I need all the locations of the Ring and Fulcrum west of the Mississippi. From there we can figure out where they're holding her and how best to get her back to us. I need to make a call to the NSA. I have a contact there who may still be willing to help me."

"Go ahead. I will give you privacy. I still have contacts from the old days who are 'legitimate', also."

Chuck walked out into the garden and called Beckman.

"Beckman, secure. What is it, Bartowski?"

"Howard Dill. I need his physical location and agenda for the past 2 days and the next three. I'll surprise you when you call me back." He hung up without another word.

For the billionth time he wished he still smoked. It would give him something to do with his shaking hands and the time he'd spend waiting to see if Beckman would deliver.

Her call was short, without the usual protocols.

"He's in Sacramento attending a meeting of the regional homeland security state directors. He's been there since Monday and is scheduled to be on vacation for the next week starting Friday. He's going fishing in the Sacramento River Estuary."

"He's the Ring Director for North America. He's trying to gain autonomy from the international organization and he's a loose cannon. Just so you know, I'm going to kill him."

"Understood. Does this have anything to do with a certain young lady's disappearance? Her stepfather is alive and well, Chuck. It was all a ploy to separate her from her protective circle. She's being held at a Ring facility that is masquerading as a resort. The same place the meeting is being held."

"Thank you, General, thank you. I'll need a clean weapons cache near the resort. Suggestion: consider buying European and African intel from a 3rd party at bargain basement prices in the future. Just think about the possibilities and the positive effect on your budget. I'll get back with you unless something goes really wrong."

He didn't say goodbye. It was unnecessary. He reported the results to Jacques who had the good sense not to ask for a source.

"What are your plans? It will take at least 24 hours to get in position if you use American assets. You won't know who's loyal and who's not."

"Then I'll use European assets, those who ran the Chateau operation with me. Can I 'borrow' Hugo and Henri? I promise to bring them all back, Jacques. Just so you know in advance, the Directorship in North America will soon be vacant. Start interviewing for a replacement."

* * *

San Francisco International Airport  
2am

The group had cleared Customs with no problems at all. There was a message for 'Charles Carmichael' to pick up the 'white courtesy phone'.

"Carmichael."

"Welcome home. Go to Hertz and pick up your keys to a Suburban. The 'cache' you requested in is the rear. Good hunting."

He shook his head and motioned the group over to a newsstand.

"That was our support. We're off the books on this one. I just burned my last bridge so what we have is all we got. The 'equipment' is in a Suburban I'm picking up from Hertz. Wait out front for me, and Henri, keep Panzer away from the flight attendants." He grinned at Panzer who shot him the bird.

Thirty minutes later and 200 miles from Sacramento and the target, Chuck pulled into an interstate rest area.

"We need a plan. Here are floor plans of the facility. It's current. Review it and let me have suggestions. Just walking up like we did at the Brewery won't work, I'm afraid."

He drove at the legal limit towards Sacramento. It would be unfortunate if they were stopped and had to explain 5 Frenchmen and two Americans with automatic weapons going 'fishing' to a cop.

By 10am they'd passed through Sacramento and were only 20 miles from the resort. The ideas had flowed fast and furious but nothing seemed to have the right set up to it. Chuck was beginning to have doubts about the entire rescue attempt. They could end up forcing Dill's hand and he might harm Hannah.

Panzer provided the solution. "Chuck, we go at them like we did at the Brewery only instead of me being the captured agent, it's you. What better way to gain entry to the inner workings than to deliver the 'captured intersect' as a swap for the girl?"

"Unless you really are delivering the intersect for a piece of the reward?" He had a bad feeling all of a sudden but the look on Panzer's face made him relax – he was horrified at the thought.

"Ok, we'll do it your way. Just go easy on me. I'm fragile, Hugo. Remember the cargo hold?" That brought laughs all around.

* * *

"Sorry, Chuck," said Hugo. He 'bagged' Chuck and then punched him twice and then put on the cuffs. Authenticity was important.

The entry through the loading docks went smoothly. The Ring personnel knew Henri and Hugo by reputation and so allowed entry without too many questions. It got 'complicated' when they approached the 'holding' area. The locals wanted to take possession and the European Ring agents were not giving up their prisoner.

"We will take him to holding and bring back the girl. When the announcement has been made, we'll allow you all to go home to France…with your woman and your tail between your legs."

A muffled 'screw this shit' emanated from the bag and Chuck dropped the fake cuffs and pulled off the bag and pulled out his weapon and placed it against the forehead of the 'leader'. The French team disarmed the others who were frozen by the sudden change in events.

"Where is the girl? You have three seconds. One, two…" The 'phffft' of the silenced pistol ended his count. He pointed to the next man and repeated his question and his count.

"Wait! I'll take you. She's with the Director. He's 'entertaining' her."

Images flashed through his mind and he almost pulled the trigger in rage but Hugo stopped him.

"Later. You can kill them all later. First we must free Hannah. Business before pleasure, Leader Windsor."

He shook his head to clear it but the rage would not subside. "You! If you value your life, take us there quickly. Any tricks and I'll shoot your balls off first."

* * *

Hannah was naked and had wrapped herself in a sheet and was curled up on the far corner of the cell bunk. The Director was tying his tie when the door hissed open and Chuck stepped in. One second. It took him one second to take in the tableau and then the Director turned to see who had disturbed him.

Chuck shot him in the kneecap, then the groin and finally, after a few very long seconds, he shot him again in the face. He kicked the man viciously and then put his pistol in his waistband and went to Hannah.

"Hannah, c'mon, stop crying and get dressed, baby. I love you more than ever and you don't have a thing to be ashamed of. Your father and I will take care of everything. Don't worry. I love you and nothing can change that. I'm just so sorry it took so long to get here. If only I'd been quicker…"

"No, no, no…it started yesterday. Today was just a repeat. I'm so sorry I didn't fight harder." Her face was swollen and he could see the bruises on her wrists and neck. He'd kill him again if he could.

"Get dressed. The unit is waiting and I have promises to keep. We'll be out of here in 15 minutes and safely in the air in another 6 hours. Quickly, Hannah. We don't have a lot of time."

His Ring communicator chirped and he answered tersely. "We're a little busy here…"

"Leader, go to the Sacramento civil airport. There is a chartered Gulf Stream waiting for you. Is she OK?"

He handed her the phone. "Here. Talk to your papa. We have to move quickly. The damned Homeland Security people are 3 floors up and discussing terrorism. We don't want to provide examples. Hurry, Hannah."

Finally, all patience exhausted, he scooped her up, still in the sheet, in his arms and ran down the corridor to where the team was holding the other Ring agents.

"Let's go. We have to get to San Francisco in 4 hours to catch our plane. Secure this filth and let's move it." He knew the Ring agents would be sure and tell their superiors about their deadline. He didn't care what they said. He'd be long gone before then and they'd be looking for them in San Francisco.

He felt something warm and sticky and saw that the sheet was soaked with blood. He felt light-headed for a moment but then looked at Henri and Panzer. He handed Hannah to Hugo.

"Those animals…" He lurched towards the loading dock and they wisely ignored the sounds of the silenced pistols restoring her honor.

* * *

Henri drove out of the parking lot within the speed limit so as not to attract undue attention. Chuck sat in the rear seat holding a quietly sobbing Hannah and whispering things in her ear.

"Henri, punch in the GPS for the Sacramento Civil Airport. We have a plane waiting for us courtesy of the Director General. You drive like an old lady. Move over and let Hannah drive."

Henri laughed and even Hannah giggled and soon fell asleep in Chuck's arms, safe at last.

The pilot had orders and a flight plan but she was still bleeding and he had to make a tough decision. He ordered the pilot to set course for Burbank airport outside of Los Angeles. He pulled out his cell and dialed a number he hadn't thought to use in almost six months. It was awkward dialing the phone with Hannah in his arms but he managed.

"This is Doctor Woodcomb. Who is this?"

"I need an ambulance and a good trauma surgeon standing by at the airport in Burbank. I'm coming in hot with a team who'll continue on to their destination. No questions now, please. The woman I'm going to marry has been…she's been raped, Ellie, and she's bleeding. Please, no questions. I'll see you in 75 minutes." He disconnected without another word. There would be time to deal with Ellie after Hannah was safe.

"So, do I have a choice in the matter, Chuck?" She looked up at him from her safe harbor in his arms.

"What?"

"Marrying you. Maybe I don't want to marry you. Your head is too big and your nose…" She was trying to make it easy on him. She could see how this had affected him and how badly he'd been frightened for her.

"Screw that. I just want to hold you and never let go. I was so scared, baby."

"Yeah, please. If you just hold me and lie to me and tell me I'm still your special girl…" She started to cry quietly. He had no idea how to handle it. He'd never been around a rape victim and he felt so helpless.

"You'll always be my special girl not matter what. I won't lie to you, Hannah. Remember the plane to Paris? I _can't_ lie to you. I will marry you, Hannah, if I have to sedate you and have Hugo hold you up and say the vows. You will be my wife, my life partner, the mother of my children. Now, prepare for something elemental, Hannah. You're going to meet my sister, the Doctor."


	13. Chapter 13

ChuckParis12

A/N: Picking up the pace. Ya'll better do the same.

* * *

Chapter 13 – Hannah Meets Ellie and Other Stuff

Burbank Airpark

The ambulance pulled up as close to the boarding steps as possible. Chuck carried Hannah gingerly down the steps and passed her to one of the attendants and then followed them into the ambulance.

Ellie was already doing the basics and was on the phone calling for an ER operating room to be prepared for a sexual assault victim. Chuck just sat as close as he could to Hannah without getting in anyone's way. She was clutching his hand and was obviously terrified.

"Hannah, this is my sister, Ellie. Ellie, this is the woman I'm going to marry. She's my special girl, Ellie, so take good care of her and don't tell her any tall tales. I'll explain things as best I can after I know she's going to be OK."

Ellie asked the hard question first. "What happened to her? When and how many times?"

"I don't know but the last time was right before I called you. He's dead so I can't ask and I…I don't want to ask her, Ellie, please?"

"What happened to her?"

"She was being held hostage in a big political game and I went in with a team and got her out. I had to, Ellie. She's my life."

She didn't ask any more questions. The look on his face said it all. The girl hadn't even noticed what was going on. She just hung on to Chuck and never broke eye contact unless it was necessary.

* * *

Burbank Hospital

"Ok, little brother, she's got some tearing and the OB/Gyn guy is fixing her up. She'll be sore for a week or so and no fooling around until she initiates it. STD tests came back clean but it'll be a few days until we get clear HIV profile. We've also given her an injection of the 'Morning After' drug. _Now_ can I let go?"

Chuck took a step back and prepared for the onslaught. He was surprised when all she did was walk up and hug him but not surprised by her tears. He had some serious explaining to do.

"Ellie, I have to call her father, my boss. He's worried sick about her and the stress isn't good for him. He's got Parkinson's and it's stage 2 moving on stage 3. Let me call him."

He called Jacques on his Ring phone and spoke so rapidly in French that Ellie could barely catch a word here or there and she considered herself fluent.

"I will be home when she's well enough to travel. Have you asked the council for a replacement for Dill?"

"How would you feel about taking the job, Chuck?"

"No. Absolutely not. Besides, Hannah needs her papa for a while. You need someone you can control and who will share our ideologies. Not me. God, no. Besides, I intend to marry, with your permission, and a new job will take up too much Hannah-time."

Hannah would be in recovery for an hour and would sleep for at least 3 – 4 hours so Ellie dragged Chuck out for dinner and an explanation.

"Before you say a word, Chuck, I know about you and the CIA and the NSA and all that crap. A scary woman came to visit me and filled me in after you were reported dead. She's kept me in the loop on your status but said I couldn't contact you or you might be killed."

"Yeah. That pretty much sums it up until now. Things are changing and I won't need to be dead much longer. So how's Devon? I figured he'd be wondering where you were."

"He couldn't keep it in his pants. He knocked up an OR nurse and then he got caught with a married resident and I just threw him out. I wasn't enough for him apparently. He'd been cheating even before we were married."

"Want me to kill him?" She didn't know if he was serious or not but didn't want to run the risk.

"No! We're getting a divorce and his parents are going to write me a big check if they want their precious Devon to keep his position and his license. That's good enough for me."

"Ellie, I'll be staying with her as much as I can. I'll talk to you later but I want to be there when she wakes up. I don't want her thinking I've abandoned her. She's got the same issues we have so I think you understand."

"At least she has a father, Chuck. That's more than we can say."

"She only met him 6 months ago. Her mother married an American and he adopted her when she was a kid. I love her. That's all that matters now. We'll sort out the crap as it comes. You _will _come to France for the wedding, Eleanor. I'll foot the bill. Hell, I'm rich!"

"So, this Hannah. What does she do when she's not a hostage?"

"There's nothing she can't do. She's smarter than I am and she's an accomplished portrait painter. She does what I did at the Buy More but for a big international corporation."

She smiled at the pride she heard in his voice. This one was different. He was different. He'd grown up when she wasn't looking.

The doctor discharged Hannah 3 days later, cautioning her to be patient and to wait at least 2 weeks before having 'relations'. Ellie had bought her a few outfits 'for the trip home' and Jacques had again sent a plane for them.

Hannah promised to make Chuck call at least once a week and of course she'd email her regularly. Chuck just bit his tongue. He'd do what he damned well pleased. The woman was turning into a controlling nag. He was happy for the first time since…since he could remember.

Dubois wanted Chuck and Hannah out of America because the Far Eastern Ring had put a bounty on Chuck's head and a bonus if Hannah could be captured alive again. Commercial air travel was ruled out and thus the Gulf Stream flew them to New York and then to Paris. Hannah slept most of the time and Chuck worked on his 'marketing plan' for Beckman and the Combine.

* * *

The Ring Executor for North America remained vacant until Jacques was forced to promote a Director from within the ranks. The focus of the Ring changed from disruption to enhanced intelligence acquisitions. There were always buyers for their intelligence data. Only the Far Eastern Region remained outside the 'Circle'.

The Ring created a new financial entity, Circus Systems, as the 'operating arm' of the new Ring. It's director general was a young American with connections and competence. The new arrangement blossomed as more and more governmental agencies saw the wisdom of a 'disinterested third party' delivering data on areas of interest. The quality and accuracy of the intel cemented many relationships but drove the Far Eastern Region farther away.

Sarah Walker was taken out of the field and given a temporary assignment as the CIA Deputy Director of Operations for the South American region. She replaced Howard Dill, a man she knew from joint operations with Larkin. She had admired and respected him for the agent he was. His assassin was never found. Another Ring victim.

Beckman saw no reason to inform her of Bartowski's survival. Casey and Forrest remained his case officers but tensions were high because of Forrest's practical joke. Periodically, Chuck would drive into Paris, lose his tails, disappear into the bowels of the embassy and emerge with a headache and a new pair of sunglasses. Beckman wanted him 'current'.

He also had regular sessions with 'Dr. Forrest', his therapist at her office in Paris. Henri had become suspicious when Chuck would seem to slip away from the Chateau and disappear in Paris but after following him once to Forrest's office, he relaxed. He knew his young boss had 'issues' and it seemed a harmless way for him to seek counsel. He noted the times and even placed a bug in Chuck's shoe and recorded a session, all very boring, all very professional and all very heart-breaking for there was trouble in paradise.

The couple planned on a spring wedding with a honeymoon in Italy. Chuck had formed a close friendship with Savatore Ricci, the Director of the Italian and Mediterranean areas. They would stay at his villa near Rome.

All they had to do was survive the 6 months until the wedding.

Ellie and Hannah became BFFs on email and the almost weekly video chat. Chuck just nodded his head at the right times and shook it at others when she brought out her 'wedding planner'. The Allied invasion of Europe was not as well planned or choreographed.

Things were going well. Jacques' condition seemed to stabilize and he agreed to undergo an experimental procedure that would identify parts of his brain that were causing his trembling and weakness and devices would be inserted to counter their influence. He wanted to walk his daughter down the aisle, as a father should, not wheel her down.

* * *

Chuck was busy running a fingernail around her left nipple. Her body never ceased to fascinate him. She was incredible and she was his. He nibbled on her ear and whispered that he loved her and she purred. The large garden tub was well used.

"Chuck, do you want children?" She'd been afraid that he'd reject her as 'damaged goods' after her rape but he couldn't be more attentive and she was as responsive as ever.

He repositioned her on his lap so that he could whisper in her ear and still enjoy playing with her nipples. "Do you know what these little bumps around the nipple are called, sweetheart? And do you know what they inspired?"

She shivered and knew he would respond to her question when it pleased him. He wasn't ignoring her, he was loving her.

"No, Charles, what are the bumps on my areolas called?" She shivered again when he lightly pinched her nipple. She loved his extended foreplay. They had the most unusual conversations during this play period.

"Montgomery's Bodies, sometimes Montgomery's Glands. They serve no purpose whatsoever and yet they inspired a Frenchman to create something that opened up an entire world to some who never could escape their own dark little worlds."

"Mmmm, what's that, lover?" She wiggled her butt against him and giggled. She giggled a lot lately and she knew he loved it when she did. He said it made him happy so she found every possible excuse to make and keep him happy.

"Braille. He was fondling his mistress's boobs and figured it out. He named the system after himself and modeled the letters after the positioning of her Bodies. Not all women's are in the same place but in Braille they spell out 'suck here'." The story was pure crap but it appealed to his warped sense of humor.

She whirled around and faced him. "Answer me, Chuck. Do you want children?"

"Yes. If you do."

"I do. Two at least. Maybe more. It all depends."

"Depends on what?" He was curious. The distribution of sex? Was she afraid of childbirth?

"On how long we stay in this tub when we have a bed and I have a craving. Knock me up, Chuck. I don't care what people think. I want a baby. _Your _baby. I need this, sweetheart, to feel complete."

* * *

They tried a lot. She read books and did research on the internet but…no knock-up. She dragged him to a fertility specialist, terrified that she couldn't conceive because of the rapes. She could. There was nothing wrong with her.

It was him. His swimmers didn't. When everyone else's were swimming like mad, his few just seemed to tread water...and then apparently give up and drown.

He was crushed by the news. He couldn't give her the gift of motherhood, the completeness she craved, and it became the elephant in the relationship. He started traveling for the Ring, running operations way below his station, finding excuses to stay away.

He couldn't face her disappointment. He was broken, useless. He hated himself for not being the man she needed. When they got in bed there was an invisible wall between them. She quietly cried herself to sleep the first night and woke up to find herself alone in their bed, his side empty and cold.

There were no more long baths together, no long walks through the Chateau's fields and orchards, and definitely no sex. He was driving her away by withdrawing emotionally and physically. He would force her to find someone else to complete her little package. It was only a matter of time.

He'd spent an hour with Alex, meeting her in the park across from her office talking about the problem with his inability to have children. He was surprised at how compassionate her response had been and how insightful her comments were.

"Chuck, Hannah will adjust. You're more important to her than children. There are other ways. Explore them. You're running away from the problem just as she is walling herself away from the hurt."

He told her he wouldn't be in to see her for a while due to a business trip and she'd hugged him and kissed him on both cheeks in the Gallic fashion and left him sitting on the bench.

Henri had followed Chuck as ordered. He'd put a bug in his shoe. There was something off with the young American and Hannah and the Director General had ordered surveillance. He was concerned about the relationship between Chuck and his therapist being 'more' and how he would deal with it. The parabolic mike had captured the entire session from his greeting to her departure.

He was not having an affair with his therapist. He was having a personal crisis and seeking solutions anywhere he might find them. He was faithful to Hannah, loving her even to the point of 'leaving' her to make her leave him. He'd said he was broken and couldn't give her 'the gift she required for completion'. He was driving her to someone else so that she might have children. It was a Beau Geste, a gallant gesture, but totally unnecessary if those two could just stop and think without all the emotional baggage.

* * *

He was packing for another trip. He'd already told Casey through his 'therapy session'. He had an assignment in Argentina and he didn't know who long he'd be, but he'd be gone at least a month. There were quality problems with the intel the unit was providing and that was Chuck's focus.

"Chuck, we have to talk before you go. Please, stop packing and sit with me for just a few minutes, sweetheart."

Hannah needed to get this out in the open and dealt with. She could see the affect it was having on Chuck. Their relationship was withering away since the discovery of his sterility. Her behavior towards him the first night disgusted her and she knew it had been like a rejection, a refusal, a condemnation of him, when she'd turned her back on him and cried herself to sleep.

It was the same rejection he'd gotten from his spy girlfriend when he'd returned from spy school a failure. She knew he thought he'd failed her, too. And what did she do…turned her back on him and cried when she should have held him and explained that she was crying for him.

He threw the rest of his clothes haphazardly into the suitcase. _'Here it comes. The great breakup scene. It's a wonder she's held off this long.'_

"Fine. Whatever. I have an hour or so before Panzer takes us to the airport."

They walked out onto the covered terrace and sat at the small breakfast table. They sat across from one another; before the 'revelation', they'd sat side by side. "Go ahead, Hannah. You've got the floor."

"I don't want a child at the cost of a husband. I have you. That's enough. You're all I need to be complete. I was selfish and I hurt you and I'm sorry and I'm begging for your forgiveness."

"I wish it were that simple, Hannah, but it's not and you damned well know it. It's not enough. We've never lied to one another, ever. Don't start now."

"I've never lied to you, Chuck. Never. You are enough for me. If I lose you, life will be empty and meaningless. Please understand and forgive me. I was stupid and I put enormous strain on our relationship. I don't want to lose you, Chuck. I couldn't bear it."

"I saw the raw emotions in your eyes when you talked about wanting a baby, _my_ baby. Were you lying then or are you lying to me now?"

"_Damn it, Chuck!_ I'm not lying. I can't help my emotions but my truth is as I've said. You are enough, baby. I've been hurtful and I know turning my back on you the first night was like…like blaming you but I was crushed. I wanted to give you a son or daughter, someone you could love as much as you loved me."

"Love."

"What?"

"You said 'loved', past tense. It's not. The verb is never in the past tense. Not with me. It's always present tense and future tense and subjunctive and…never the conditional tense."

"Call Hugo. Tell him you'll be late. Better still, tell him to reschedule your flight for tomorrow. Then come and love me, Chuck. That's not too much to ask? We'll conjugate verbs the old fashioned way." She smiled her special smile and walked to the carriage house, leaving a trail of clothing for him to follow.

Panzer hung up the phone and turned to Henri, a huge grin on his face and handed him a 50 Euro note. "Apparently I was wrong. Let's open a few more bottles of wine and get drunk and tell each other tall tales. We don't leave until tomorrow night."


	14. Chapter 14

ChuckParis12

* * *

1,206 hits and 8 reviews. this one's circling the creative drain peeps.

* * *

Chapter 13: Rescue and Reunion

_He was cold and he ached all over. Someone wrapped him in warm blankets and fed him a hot thin soup but he couldn't open his eyes. They were swelled shut. The most frightening thing was the silence. He couldn't hear anything, not even the beating of his heart or the rush of blood in his ears. He slept almost all the time and each time he awoke it was the same._

_He woke once in a hot bath with someone washing him. He tried to talk but all that he could do was grunt and wheeze and that hurt more than not knowing. He was Chuck…Chuck Bartowski. No. That wasn't right. Not anymore. He was Chuck Windsor and the one washing him must be Hannah. He smiled and slept. He didn't dream that he remembered._

_He had no concept of time. He had no idea of the date, the time of day or how long he'd been in this silent limbo. Someone had bandaged his eyes and cleaned him again. He still ached, so not much time had passed. His hands ached the most. _

He awoke in a panic. The warm blankets were stripped from him and the bandage removed from his eyes and a bright light shown into them. He might have screamed and tried to turn his head to escape the painful light but strong, rough hands held him and the light flashed again and again in his eyes.

The same rough hands that held his head released it and began touching his face, arms and hands and then his legs and feet. He was cold and the ache was back. Rough hands picked him up and put him back down on something and then he felt movement, a swaying left and right, and then a shocking cold that stole the breath from him. Whatever he was lying on bounced and tilted and then was placed down. His world began to vibrate.

Straps were pulled tightly across his chest and thighs and he felt a pinprick in his arm and then nothing at all.

The CH-47 Chinook helicopter rose up out of the caldera and joined four other identical helicopters that began weaving an intricate aerial ballet and then all five flew off in different directions. A keen observer might have noticed that all the helicopters had the same registration numbers and all belonged to the Icelandic Rescue Service.

Hugo Panzer sat beside the Stokes stretcher that held Charles Windsor. The doctor had already started an IV and injected a sedative in the line to keep the patient calm until they arrived at their destination.

He called Dubois on his Ring phone.

"This is Panzer. We have him. We'll need access to a full surgery. He is in by far the worst shape of the evacuees. The internees tried to care for him but they had little in the way of medical supplies and the guards provided nothing when they dropped him into Cold Storage two weeks ago."

"I will tell Hannah. She's been chewing her fingernails to the quick and I don't think she's slept more than a few hours at a time. If you hadn't found him alive, I don't know what would become of her. Thank God you found him."

"The anonymous tipster who contacted Dr. Woodcomb was right about his location. Someone on the other side has a conscience. We just pulled his written op plan from the filing cabinet in the carriage house and implemented it. It was low-keyed and simple and went off without a hitch. Good planning."

"Don't bet on a conscience. They simply weighed their options. No intel from the Ring consortium would put a budget burden on them."

"We'll be in France in 8 hours. We'll have him in the Calais facility. They've got the best trauma specialists. Jacques, don't send Hannah just yet. Let them work on him and determine the score. Then you can prepare her."

"Tomorrow was to be their wedding day, Panzer. How is his sister handling it?"

"She is a physician and has total control of her emotions. I think later she will explode but for now, she's moving among the evacuees and rendering aid. She is a lot like Chuck, only softer and beautiful."

"We'll speak again when you reach Calais."

* * *

_Hugo thought back to their arrival in Buenos Aires more than two months ago. Nothing seemed amiss. They cleared customs, picked up their luggage when suddenly the corridor leading to the terminal was full of men in military gear. They had separated Hugo from Chuck with a cordon of men and that was the last he'd seen of him until today. The BIS explained that Panzer'd been identified as being 'of interest' to American counter-terrorism and been detained momentarily. They had no idea what had happened to his traveling companion. Panzer was the only one on the 'watch list' and only he had been detained._

_He spent a week and a hefty pile of Euros bribing his way into appointments to talk with people who had information on the kidnapping of Charles Windsor, CEO of Circus Information Services. They declined any request for information and no one would admit to having even seen a man of Windsor's description at the airport. He'd just disappeared. Any security tapes of the area had either been 'reused' or had gone missing._

Panzer returned to France. There was nothing more to be done in Argentina.

* * *

One week prior to the raid

_Eleanor Woodcomb had tried reaching her brother by email as they'd arranged and finally by the 'last resort' phone number he'd left her when he was in Burbank._

"_Ellie, only use this if the world's ending, understand? It's the last thing you'll want to do. Calling this number will change your life forever." _

_The way he'd said it and the look on her face had chilled her. The guy who sat at this very kitchen table mornings, _

* * *

half asleep, and ate sugar bombs cereal had disappeared and a menacing man had taken his place

"_What number are you calling?" The voice answered the phone in French and Ellie replied the same way remembering how fluent her little brother had been._

"_This is Dr. Eleanor Bartowski Woodcomb and I'm calling for my brother, Charles Windsor. I need to speak with him please. It's a family emergency."_

"_One moment." Hugo was unprepared to talk with Chuck's sister. He'd forgotten the drill he'd gone through with Chuck. Something about…_

"_What is the name of the poster on his bedroom wall?"_

"_Wha? Um, Tron. It's a poster of a movie called 'Tron'."_

"_I'm Hugo Panzer, Chuck's friend. Are you in danger? Where are you? Have you been contacted by anyone regarding your brother?" The questions were rushed and carried a level of anxiety that immediately put her on her on guard._

"_The only danger I'm in is of losing my temper with this spy shit. I got a call from a scary lady asking me about Chuck and if I knew where he was. She works for our government and is some kind of super spy. Well, she was about 50 years ago. Now she's just scary. I told her 'no' and she told me to contact Chuck's bosses and tell them to check out 'cold storage'. So, if you're Chuck's boss, why do you have him in 'cold storage'?"_

"_I work for __him__, Doctor. But he's my friend and that's why you have this number. Can you come to Paris immediately? Be prepared to stay indefinitely if you do come. Your brother will need both the women in his life if he's in Cold Storage. Call me back with your flight data. Do you need money?"_

"_No. I'll tie up loose ends here and be in Paris by tomorrow. I'll call you, Mr. Panzer, with my flight information. Can someone meet me?"_

"_I'll be there. Look for the biggest and most handsome man you've ever seen and that will be me. Or look for a short, ugly gnome with a beard, and I'll be the one beside him. That is Henri. Another one of Chuck's lieutenants. He's ugly but loyal and he loves your brother like a son. So, make your plans, Doctor, and we'll see you in a while."_

* * *

Sarah Walker received 'flash traffic' email alerting the Agency directors to a critical event. She cursed when she read the email. Commandos had raided the facility in Iceland and had freed all the detainees and escaped without pursuit. There were no friendly casualties. No other information was available.

She cursed the Ring and Fulcrum and whomever it was who'd led the commandos. Now she had to start all over again, damn it! Her thoughts of plots were interrupted by a call on her 'back line', known only to a few people who had reason to call 'off the books'.

"Walker, secure."

"Beckman, secure. I suppose you've read the flash traffic regarding 'Cold Storage'? I need to know who the most recent detainees were, Director. I have a missing asset and I'm afraid he might have fallen in with a dangerous crowd."

"You'd do better to discuss this with the Director himself, General. All I have is a small segment of the list, only those from my division."

"He was swept up in a counter-terrorism operation in Buenos Aires two months ago. His companions were released but he disappeared. The BIS refuses to discuss it and refers any of our inquiries to the CIA. So, I need that list."

"You need to keep your assets on a short leash, General." She hated Beckman and blamed her for Chuck's death, ignoring her own behavior and actions that contributed to it.

"He'd still be alive if you hadn't been such an uncompromising bitch, _Director_ Walker. He wouldn't have felt the need to get off that plane in Paris and he wouldn't have bothered with Hannah and Agent Bartowski would still be alive and you might be happy. Thank you for your cooperation, Deputy Director Walker."

Sarah had meant the 'new' asset not Bartowski. The emphasis on her title hurt. It was small comfort. It was no comfort.

Diane Beckman hoped Walker was hurt by her words. She'd meant every last one of them to hurt. She also hoped Walker enjoyed testifying before the House Select Intelligence Committee on the activities in Iceland. She'd pulled strings to 'involve' her and bring her name to the Committee's attention.

Paybacks were a bitch. The email Beckman had received from the Director General thanked her for her assistance and promised a less cordial relationship if anything ever happened to his future son-in-law and it could again be traced to the CIA.

* * *

Calais, France  
Ring Medical Facility

Ellie Woodcomb was exhausted. They'd brought in 18 people suffering from various ailments all associated with malnutrition and the horrendous living conditions in the caves they were living in. Her brother was not the most critical case she had to turn over to the local physicians. There were a few cases of gangrene from untreated frostbite that would require immediate attention. Her brother's situation was different.

She'd never seen a torture victim before. There were ligature marks around his ankles and wrists and there was evidence that he'd been hung up by his wrists with his arms behind his back. All his fingers had been broken and the nails ripped off. Both shoulders had been dislocated but his companions in Cold Storage had popped them back into place. There were also ligature marks around his neck and electrical burns all over his body. He'd been 'hung', probably to the point of unconsciousness and she had no idea of the damage to the throat.

Both eardrums were ruptured from repeated blows to the ears until the eardrums ruptured. Hugo had described the process and she'd almost vomited. The pain would have been terrible.

He was still sedated until the doctors could get around to treating his less critical injuries. Hannah was on her way from the Chateau in an armed convoy. She would be arriving any time now.

She leaned against Panzer and sighed. She was so tired from worrying and from the stress of the operation. How in the hell could anyone live like this?

"Are you tired, Dr. Woodcomb? We can find you a bed somewhere and I'll keep watch over the Director so you can sleep."

"Panz, in the week we've known each other, how many times have I asked you to call me Ellie? I'm tired of asking, Hugo Panzer, and so I'm telling you. Call me Ellie!"

"Yes, Dr. Ellie. Now, come with me. I'll find you a soft bed and sit with you until you are asleep. Henri has been with him the entire time. He can go without eating another few minutes. You can tell me all the stupid things Chuck has done in his life so I can blackmail him. I'll send someone to wake you when he wakes up or when Hannah arrives."

"Drop the damned 'doctor'. Damn, you're worse than Casey ever was! And I won't tell you squat as long as you call me 'doctor'." She was tired and cranky and she was taking it out on this nice man who'd saved her brother.

"I'm sorry, Hugo. I'm wrung out. I don't know how you people can handle this life. I thought the stress of medical school was brutal but this is…beyond belief."

He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the residents' quarters where he knew he would find a vacant bed. "Put me down you big oaf! I'm quite capable of walking!"

"Shhh, Ellie. You make more noise than a herd of cats. This is a hospital. Hush now."

He put her down in a clean bed and she was asleep within seconds. He turned out the light and left. Hannah would be coming and she would not be nearly as easy to handle. Sometimes he pitied Chuck. This was one of those times. She already felt guilty about their personal problems and she would feel more so now. He sighed and thought of the little brunette doctor. He would talk to Chuck before he did anything rash. He liked her. He put her from his mind and went to find Henri.

_**You can thank Nik for this last one**_


	15. Chapter 15

ChuckParis13

A/N: On the road again. No wifi where I'm going.

* * *

Chapter 14 - Ruined Reunion

US House of Representatives  
Closed Door Hearing

Deputy Director Walker was not an easy witness. The House Select Intelligence Committee asked questions she couldn't answer. She knew the answers to some of them. She had a 'need to know' but the Committee did not. She was totally out of her element, out of control of the situation, and uncomfortable with the direction the questions were heading. She was probably considered a 'hostile' witness.

"Director Walker, what do you know about the Iceland facility?" The same question had been asked in several different ways but she always maintained the truth: she'd never been there, had no first-hand knowledge of the facility or the conditions of the detainees. What she did know directly would be here say and consequently not relevant.

Virginia Representative Michael Stuart asked the most practical and damning questions. He was smart, had been a prosecutor before being elected to the House, and he was relentless in pursuing the answers to his questions.

"Director Walker, have you personally ever ordered that a citizen of the United States be 'detained' in the facility in question?"

She stopped and considered her answer very carefully. He was a lawyer and she knew that a fundamental rule of law was 'don't ask a question you don't already know the answer to'.

"Yes, Congressman, I have."

"And what is his or her name?" _He couldn't possibly know, could he?_

"It isn't relevant to this issue and you don't have the 'need to know'. It doesn't matter anyway since, as I've been informed, the real reason for this hearing is that the Ring has freed and removed all the detainees and someone somewhere wants a scalp for their reelection lodge pole."

"It is relevant if you violated the constitutional rights of an American citizen. Now, what was his or her name?"

"Charles Windsor, although we're sure that's not his real name. There is no record of him in any file or database available to the Agency. In fact, Congressman, we aren't sure of his nationality." That fact had pissed off Sarah Walker so badly she'd called Beckman to see if she had any idea who this traitor was. She'd been told 'need to know' and Beckman had hung up the phone.

Two more hours of questions from the remaining members of the Committee and she was free. She was sure her deodorant had failed. She'd rarely been so uncomfortable in any situation.

She was in the hallway and following her assistant out to the limo when she heard her name called.

"Director Walker, a moment please!" It was that damned Michael Stuart. What the hell did he want now?

"Yes, Congressman? What is it? I'm behind schedule." She could play petty bureaucrat with the best of them.

"I have just one more question, totally off the record…" He led her to an unused sub-committee conference room and closed the door.

"Yes? What is it?" She did everything but tap her foot in impatience.

"Will you have dinner with me Friday evening?" When he smiled he reminded her of…

"No, I'm sorry. I don't 'date' and certainly not you, sir." She immediately regretted her tone. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that…I lost someone special in the line of duty and it's…I'm just not ready to date."

"OK, then, how about coming over to my house and watching a movie on Thursday. It's not a date. It's family movie night and it's just the kids and me. My wife…"

She looked down at her feet trying not to show any emotion but it had been so long and she'd tried so hard to wall herself away from others. When she looked up at him he was startled to see that her eyes had a sheen of unshed tears making her look vulnerable.

"Yes, I'd like that. It's been a long while since I've been…I mean, I don't have any family and…oh, hell, Congressman, yeah, I'd love to."

She knew all about his wife and her death during his first congressional election campaign. He'd stopped campaigning to be with his son and daughter and the Party had asked him to remove himself so someone else could run. The public outcry when the news hit the TV was huge and so was his margin of victory. People liked a man who put family first. Especially politicians. He'd been reelected to three consecutive terms, running virtually unopposed.

"That's great. And I think under the circumstances you can call me Mike."

"Then it's Sarah, Mike. Call me with the details and I'll be there. Thank you for the invitation. It's been…a long time…since my last 'movie night'." It wasn't a mega-smile like she gave _him_ in Burbank but it was the first real smile of almost any kind she'd given anyone since Paris.

* * *

Ring Medical Facility  
Calais, France

Panzer and Ellie met Hannah as she stepped off the elevator in the 'lobby' of the secure facility in Calais. It was located on the 4th floor of an office building owned by the Ring. The other floors housed legitimate business interests of the Ring or purely civilian businesses. There was no way to access the 4th floor on the elevator pad without a key and a code. The number 4 did not even appear on the buttons.

She stepped off the elevator and was immediately swept up in an Ellie-hug.

"He's going to be fine, Hannah, really. I wouldn't lie to you. Why didn't you return my calls or emails? You should have called me. You shouldn't have to go through this alone all these weeks. You're my family now and the two of you are all I have left. I was frantic and finally called the 'number of last resort' that Chuck gave me."

Hugo looked at the two women and smiled and walked away. He had things to do and each of them was in good hands now. Dr. Ellie would have someone to fuss over besides Chuck and Hannah would have someone to talk with about 'things'. Each was in good hands with the other. He called the Director General and reported her safe arrival and then wandered off to find something useful to do.

* * *

American Embassy  
Paris, France

Beckman called Casey and reported Chuck's 'liberation' and return. He'd been very frustrated with the total 'news blackout' that had been cast over the entire affair. Not knowing what had happened in Buenos Aires after Chuck had been separated from his companions, he'd assumed the worst. He had few contacts in South America but those he did have knew nothing.

"General, how should we proceed? Should I have his 'therapist' make inquiries about his missed appointments? It's on record that he told her he'd only be gone a month."

"Good idea. Maybe we can find out what happened to him. I know only the bare facts. Torture and then the Hole and Cold Storage. I contacted his sister and left a broad hint. I guess she has a way to contact the Ring although I'll bet she has no idea just what her brother's up to. Let's keep it that way, too, Colonel."

"Agreed. I'll have Alex make a contact call."

* * *

Hannah answered the Ring phone she picked up from Henri to replace the unit he'd lost. She kept the same number, of course, and so she knew it was a call for Chuck. Looking over at her sleeping husband-to-be and deciding sleep was more important, she answered the phone for him.

"This is Hannah. If you're calling for Charles, he's unavailable. Maybe I can help you?"

"Um, yes, this is Dr. Forrest. Charles is my patient and he has missed two appointments. I knew he was going to be out of the country for a month but it has been nearly two months and so I was calling to find out if he wishes to resume his appointments. Please ask him to call me, Miss…?" She was totally off guard because she'd figured she'd get his voicemail not an answer.

"This is Hannah Nguyen, his fiancé. He's in the hospital. He was kidnapped in Argentina by some rebels and held for ransom. The ransom was paid but they…he's been hurt and we just got him home to France. I didn't know he was seeing a physician?"

She'd given the cover story and the explanation for his absence but she wanted as much information on the caller as possible. No one had told her Chuck was seeing a doctor. Was he sick? She laughed bitterly to herself. I drove him to this.

"I'm not a physician, Ms. Nguyen, I'm a therapist. Chuck has been my patient for quite some time. Um, is he all right? I know he's had some issues with…Ms. Nguyen, I really can't discuss these with you. I'm sorry."

"He was seeing you because of our relationship, wasn't he? Then you know about his inability to have children and probably about my cruel reaction and response. I am so ashamed of it but I think we've gotten past that hurtle. We had a long talk the night before he left and I thought we were fine again. Was I wrong?"

"Ms. Nguyen, I really can't discuss that. I'm sorry but it is a breach of professional ethics." She almost laughed. She was a spy. She had no ethics, professional or otherwise.

"Then perhaps we could meet? He has just arrived home, well, in hospital. Please, this was to be our wedding day and now…" She was really laying it on thick. She desperately needed to know what this woman and her Chuck had discussed. Was he having second thoughts about them? She cursed herself for her stupid attitude.

"Perhaps you could both attend a session? As for marriage, he's never expressed a single doubt." Oh, boy, what a lie that was. Alex knew her face was burning. Why couldn't she just lie to her without this stupid guilt?

They talked for ten more minutes and then Ellie came and told her he was awake.

"He's awake. I have to go." Alex smiled. He was back. She knew Casey would be happy and a happy Casey made sure she was a happy Alex. She'd always liked Bartowski, even when she was ruining his life with the 49B, she still liked him and that was one of the reasons she'd been such a bitch towards him. She was a spy and spies didn't 'like' an asset.

* * *

"Hey, Chuck. How was the vacation?" She and Ellie had talked at great length about his physical condition. Wherever he'd been hadn't been nice. He was infested with parasites and…worms. He was taking medications that would make him violently ill but it had to be done. Some of the parasites could cause damage to organs. He had lost so much weight and Ellie had told her it was because he had dysentery.

He rolled over onto his side, and held out a hand. She gasped when she saw his hand and almost didn't take it. His fingernails had been…they were gone. She carefully took his hand in hers and then leaned over and kissed him.

"Hey, fella, welcome home. I missed you, lover. And I was so afraid I'd never get to tell you again how much I love you."

He smiled and she almost burst into tears. His teeth were a mess, broken off and…she wanted to have her father find whoever did this and kill them. She knew she was going to lose it and was desperately trying not to.

"Hi. I'm so sorry for all this. I'm so sorry…" His voice was raspy from long disuse. He closed his eyes and fell back to sleep. The medications were accompanied by a powerful sedative and he'd lost his fight to stay awake.

Ellie motioned her to follow her out of the room and into the hallway. She closed the door to his room and led her to a bench.

"He's really disoriented, Hannah. Don't worry about anything he says. Between the anti-parasitical drugs and his injuries, we're keeping him on painkillers to ease all this. The nails will grow back. His fingers will heal. His ribs are almost fully healed. We'll get dental work scheduled when we know the worst of the parasites are dead. The only question that remains is his hearing. Both eardrums were ruptured recently and haven't had time to begin healing. He really can't distinguish what you're saying so try and keep from asking him questions, OK?"

Hannah sat back against the wall. This was so much to take in and there was so little she could do to help him.

"What can I do, Ellie? I want to help him. I need to help him. I don't know what to do."

"Just be there when he's awake and have patience. He's going to be surly and miserable from the medicine and he's always hated needles and IV's since he was a little kid. Just be patient and let him know you love him and are glad he's back. That's all you can do now."

"How long will he be like this?"

"A month to dump all the bugs and I don't have a clue about the dental stuff. It looks like they filed his teeth to make him talk. I can't imagine the pain. That's one reason he's on the sedatives. I don't want my little brother in pain if I can help it."

"I agree. No pain if we can avoid it. He's lost so much weight! I'm going to have to lay on the carbs for him. He's skin and bone, Ellie. Did they try to starve him into talking?"

She didn't need to know all they'd done. Let her have her innocence. "No, that's from the parasites and his dysentary. He'll gain back the weight and be back to his old self in a few months. Just be patient with him, Hannah. That's all he needs from you. Patience, your presence and your support. Now, go and sit with him. You don't want him thinking you've abandoned him, do you?"

* * *

After Hannah had gone, she went in search of Hugo Panzer. She had questions and by God she would have the answers.

She found him sitting in the 'kitchen' with Henri. He saw the look on her face and asked Henri 'to go check on the Director'. He wasn't sure he wanted to share this conversation with his friend.

"I have questions. I want answers. I want the truth. Who did this to him and what are you people going to do about it?"

"We suspect the CIA ordered the detention but who gave the orders is still being investigated. As to who did this to him, probably specialists from the Argentine government, hired thugs who do dirty work that can't be traced back to the government. We'll never find them, Ellie. They're faceless men who are interested only in results."

"Hugo, I want someone dead for this. I want someone to suffer and then die a horrible death. I took an oath but this goes beyond anything a human should endure. Will you do this for me?"

"No, Ellie. I won't. We have moved beyond that, the Ring. Your brother's influence and the new 'business model' he's convinced the Director General to adopt. Personally, I'd enjoy killing those bastards but we'll never find the guilty ones, Ellie. Just accept that he's alive and go on with life."

"What about the person who ordered him to die in that hole in Iceland? You can find them and kill them, can't you? Surely there is some way to find out who ordered this. He would have been dead in another month, Hugo, and those bastards wouldn't have cared at all."

"We can make inquiries but don't hold your breath. The bureaucrats don't leave paper trails. And your brother would forbid it anyway. He always takes the 'long view' and it wouldn't be good to piss off the paying customer. Leave it, Ellie. Be glad he's alive."

Hugo _had_ traced the orders. The CIA Deputy Director of Covert Operations for South America had specified Cold Storage after the kidnappers had failed to extract only the most basic information from the Director. He would discuss this with Chuck. Perhaps he could harden his heart and allow this single act of vengeance to send a message to the 'Customer'.


	16. Chapter 16

ChuckParis15

Chapter 14 – Ends and Beginnings

Chuck Bartowski stared into the mirror and smiled. He opened his mouth wide and once again smiled. His dental 'tortures' were over and he had an entire set of implants although they looked so much like his real teeth that no one who knew him from before would ever guess they were not his God-given pearly-whites.

There was one back molar that wasn't like the others. He'd demanded that the Ring give him an 'out' so that if he were taken, he could rob them of their prize. Jacques understood and made arrangements through some 'off the books' contacts and a capsule of a shellfish toxin had been incorporated into one of his teeth.

"Chuck, you OK in there? Are you sick? Chuck?" Hannah had been with him 24/7, holding his hand whenever he was examined or treated or medicated. She worried constantly about his weight, his progress against the parasites he'd caught and, of course, the corrective dental tortures he'd endured for the past week.

She was his very special girl and he was going to show her every time he thought of it.

'_What did I ever do that was so good that I'd be blessed with Hannah?'_

He opened the bathroom door and smiled at her and then went over and kissed her with such hunger and passion that it made her head swim.

"Wow! What brought that on? Not that I'm complaining, honey, but wow!"

"I don't have a mouthful of fangs and stumps and I don't have to see the look of horror in your eyes when I smile at you. Now, update me on the wedding plans. We've lost months and I want to get married and start our lives together as soon as we can."

"That can wait, Chuck. I can't. Come on, take me to bed and make me forget the past months. I'm hungry, baby, and you look good enough to eat."

They finally got around to the wedding plans.

* * *

Stuart Residence  
Arlington, Virginia

She'd fallen asleep. The movie was interesting but she was exhausted from the stress of her job. She woke up with her head in his lap and she smiled when she saw the empty popcorn bowls and empty beer battles on the coffee table. Ellie and Devon must have gone to bed but he'd just held her all night. She always slept over on movie night but last night she'd fallen asleep and he just made adjustments rather than wake her.

"Oh, Chuck, I love waking up like this. I slept so well. You have that effect on me, sweetie." She sat up and looked into the eyes of Mike Stuart and she lost it in spectacular fashion. Every ounce of regret, heartache and loss that she'd bottled up for months came pouring out of her in the form of gut-wrenching sobs.

'_So, her mystery man was nicknamed 'Chuck'. She must have loved him deeply and finally allowed herself to lose control and grieve. Just like I did with Lisa.'_

He wrapped her up in his arms and just held her, rocking her gently and crooning nonsense syllables into her hair. They were kindred spirits. He'd felt it at once. He saw the sorrow locked behind her blue eyes and knew that he held the key to releasing it and bringing her back into the land of the feeling.

He had no idea how long he held her or how long she sobbed. She finally fell asleep again and he picked her up and took her to the guest bedroom, unzipped and removed her boots and covered her with the comforter.

Mike went into his office and took out a folder from his safe. When Diane Beckman had approached him about flushing out the location of Charles Windsor without 'blowing his cover', he asked for and received a full briefing. Now he wished he hadn't. He'd connected some dots of his own.

He was a moral man with a keen sense of right and wrong. He knew something that Sarah needed to know to provide her with some comfort. The 'someone special' she thought she'd lost in the line of duty was actually alive, but not well. Should he tell her? The man had been sent to Cold Storage by the woman who was lying in the guest bedroom, emotionally exhausted after finally accepting his death.

'_If Lisa had been in Chuck's shoes and committed to a deep cover infiltration, would I want to know that she was alive, especially if she'd given up on us and was going to marry another?'_

He sighed and replaced the photos of Chuck and Hannah taken at a dinner party in Paris. They looked so happy and perfect together. Even the most jaded of people could see the love that flowed between them as they ate, danced and laughed with one another. Did he have the right to destroy two people's happiness just to make another person 'feel good'?

No.

He replaced the file in his safe and closed the door, resetting the digital combo as was his habit. What was done was done. Beckman had provided him with a little background on Sarah Walker and he knew how she'd treated 'her special someone' when he was alive.

No. Let him have his happiness. Sarah Walker would just have to move on.

* * *

Lake Como, Italy

He was a man on the run. Former CIA Agent Daniel Shaw was wanted alive for questioning. Dead was also acceptable. There was a sizeable reward for him alive and an equal amount if he didn't survive capture.

He wasn't used to living on the cusp. He'd allowed himself to become blasé about his situation, merely going through the motions of following up leads on the whereabouts of former NSA Agent Charles Bartowski.

Sarah Walker had tracked him down and left him for dead in a hotel room in Vienna, Austria, and it was only because the whore he'd hired for his stay in Vienna had arrived early to accompany him to dinner that he survived.

He hadn't heard from his control officer, Howard Dill, in months. He'd followed his last instruction to the letter like the good little toy soldier he'd become since Eve…_'Don't go there, Danny-boy. You don't need another trip down Memory Lane. You need to stay focused if you're going to be worth more than a cup of warm spit. She's dead. You know it. You were there. It was someone's Red Test – and they'd passed with flying colors with three 9mm rounds to the chest.'_

He shook himself and went to the final drop point. If there was no message from Dill, then he'd been burned and had no recourse but to fall back on Eve's plan to go off the grid, under the radar, behind the scenes.

* * *

Stuart Residence  
Arlington, VA

He was in the kitchen tidying up after breakfast. The kids were over at a neighbor's house playing on their trampoline. He'd just turned on the dishwasher when he heard her clear her throat to get his attention.

"Morning, Sarah. You're lucky. My meltdown came on the floor of the House during a debate on some stupid housing bill. At least you weren't live on C-SPAN. Now that that's out of the way, there's fresh coffee in the pot. How do you like your eggs?"

"I – I – I'm so embarrassed, Mike. I don't know what happened…"

"You finally accepted your loss for what it was. The ones we lost? They're not coming back to us – ever. We have to accept it and move on with our lives. If it's any consolation, you're the first woman I've ever asked out since Lisa…since Lisa was killed by a drunk driver. It wasn't quick and it wasn't painless and I stood there watching the firemen cut her out of the wreckage and then she died."

"I was in a surveillance van and Chuck was making contact with someone and we all assumed he'd been 'turned'. My partner was told by our supervisor to 'take the shot' and he did. He's dead. It was all a horrible misunderstanding but he's still dead. I guess I accepted the fact last night and I – I – does it ever get better? Does it ever stop hurting?"

"Nope. It never stops as long as you love them but not loving them would hurt even more. Just take it a day at a time, Sarah. Find something good in each day and hold on to it when it starts hurting. I have an advantage you don't – I have my kids. I don't think I'd be standing here now, spooning out this bullshit to you if I didn't have them."

"I don't think it's bullshit, Mike. I think it's the truth. Scrambled. And I'd love a cup of coffee."

"Scrambled, coming right up. The cups are in the cabinet above the coffee pot."

'_She'll be fine if she just focuses on living the rest of her life and not reliving the past.'_

Chateau Almandine  
Paris, France

Ellie and Hannah had solved the security problem with a public wedding – it would be strictly private and by invitation only. They'd discovered a chapel on the grounds of the chateau that hadn't seen a coat of paint since before WWI and they put their efforts into rehabilitating the chapel for the wedding.

The guest list was over 200 people long and so it was decided to have the wedding in the chateau gardens and pray for good weather. The backup plan? There was none. Hannah and Ellie figured that no one would dare stand in the way of the wedding considering the last two postponements – not even the Almighty Himself.

It turned out to be a beautiful fall day and everything was perfect. The groom was nervous, the best man (Hugo) misplaced the rings for a few frantic moments, the bride was beautiful and the father of the bride was bursting with pride as he walked his daughter down the long aisle to the altar.

The reception turned into a raucous party that lasted well into the early morning hours. Chuck and Hannah had slipped away to an unknown location followed closely by a security team that was sworn to both discretion and secrecy by the Director General. They were honeymooning in Thailand but the rest of the world thought they were in the Canary Islands.

After the happy couple had departed, Hugo rounded up the heads of the various regions in attendance and they met with the Director General in the refurbished chapel.

"My friends, I've decided to retire. My health is not what it should be and the Ring has matured into an almost totally legitimate operation. We will soon be listed on the Paris Stock Exchange under our new name, Circus Information Services. As my new son-in-law is so fond of saying, 'this business is like a 3-ring circus', and so it is. Now, to the topic of a successor, I nominate the current CEO of CIS, Charles Windsor, who has proven to be more than competent to run our growing and profitable organization. As you all know, our profits are up 300% and our 'losses' both in material and personnel are at all-time lows. Are there other nominees?"

The floor was opened to nominations and debate and finally it came down to a vote.

* * *

Stuart Residence  
Arlington, VA

Sarah Walker became a regular at the family movie nights at the Stuart house. She liked his kids and they liked her. She'd been uncomfortable at first until his daughter, Megan, had asked her if she had a minute to discuss something in private. _'Uh Oh, here it comes. Why are you here? You're not our mother'._

She asked Sarah about tampons. She had no one else to ask. She was horribly embarrassed and stammered and almost started to cry and Sarah felt something shift in her chest and she hugged the girl tightly and whispered that she had lost her own mother at an earlier age and no one was around to answer those questions for her.

"Megan, you can ask me anything and I'll always tell you the truth. Your Dad would try his best but some things are best left to us girls. So, anytime you have a question, ask it. I'll do my best to answer it honestly. And it'll always be our secret, OK?"

They went shopping that Saturday and spent the whole day just having fun. She never would have thought that having a kid around could be such fun.

From then on, Saturdays were spent at the mall or just doing girl things together. Mike just grinned and reminded Sarah that baseball season was just around the corner and the family always attended the Saturday games together.

"I got you a season ticket so make sure you keep Saturdays free."

"But what about the night games and Sundays? Do you have season tickets also?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because I'm suddenly a great fan of baseball. And if you're free some evenings…"

"Are you asking me out on a date, Director?"

"Dates, Congressman. I'm sure the Senators play at home more than just Saturdays."

They became an A-list couple in Washington. She moved in with him three months later. The commute was a killer but there were undeniable fringe benefits. Christmas was a family first for Sarah. She felt totally accepted.

One morning over breakfast, with the kids already out and about, Mike asked her if she'd ever considered a career change.

"Why would I do that? I'm finally in a position where I can make a difference."

"Well, I've been asked to run for governor of Virginia and I need a First Lady." He held a ring in his fingers and looked at her with an unasked question in his eyes. He hadn't really accepted the offer and there was another, more prestigious one in the wings that he really wanted them to have.

"You're assuming you'll win, Mike. What if you lose?"

"With you beside me, how can I lose?"

"Yes, Mike, I'll marry you." Her eyes sparkled and she sat on his lap and kissed him hungrily.

"Um, y'know, you've never told me you loved me. I've said it but you've never said, 'Mike, I love you'."

"Mike, I…" She couldn't meet his eyes.

"I guess second place is all I can hope for? Let me know when it's convenient for your schedule, Director." He stood up and abruptly almost dumping her ass on the kitchen floor and walked out of the kitchen. She did say yes but she didn't look as thrilled with the idea as she should have been.

'_Damn it! Why can't I say it? I never told Chuck and I lost him.'_

She tracked him down in his den, just closing the safe after retrieving a folder with the 'Top Secret' red diagonal stripe across its width. She ignored it, concentrating on the most important thing in her life – Mike Stuart.

"I'm sorry. I – I just have a problem with…damn it, Mike, I do love you and I want to be part of this family. My old partner said spies were emotionally stunted – 'constipated' was his description – and I know I don't tell you but I do love you, Mike, and I want us to be together forever."

Mike inserted the folder down the shredder feeder and turned it on. He'd take the bag in to the office Monday and have it burned with the other classified documents on the Ring. He'd almost given her back her precious Chuck.

"Let's go tell the kids, Mike. Megan's going to explode just like Ellie…I mean, she's going to be so happy for us. You get to tell your son the unapproachable. I think he's the reincarnation of his namesake, 'Jeb Stuart'."

"Hey, don't knock the lineage. If Gettysburg had turned out differently…"

She held out her left hand, fingers splayed. "Give me your ring, Mike, and then kiss me. I do love you, really, and I'll work hard to be more open. I feel it, I just can't say it easily like you guys do."


	17. Chapter 17

ChuckParis16

A/N: I'll be OOT for a week or so.

* * *

Chapter 17 – The Honeymoon from Hell and Hannah's Kids

Bangkok, Thailand

It was the beginning of the rainy season, not that they cared at all about the weather. They were staying at a Ring-owned hotel, in the penthouse, and would spend most of the first day napping, adjusting to the time changes. That was the plan. _She_ had an agenda to keep.

"Chuck, this is special to me. I want to go. This is where I'm from. I want to see the place where I was born and share it with you. I know so little about who I am, really. Oh, I know who my mother and my father are, but nothing about this place in their lives. The refugee camp is still in operation and probably will be for the foreseeable future. Some things never change."

"I don't think it's safe. Our host, Chai, was very clear on that point. The area around it is still teeming with insurgents who cross the border at will and prey on the locals on both sides. Please, Hannah, think this through."

"I have. I'm going, Chuck, with or without you. I have to. It's like an imperative, I have to."

"Fine. But you'll not go alone. I'll borrow a security detail from Chai to accompany us. Those are the conditions, Hannah, accept them or _you will not go_. No debate."

* * *

Kritikak Refugee Camp  
2km west of the Laotian Border

They rode in Toyota Land Cruisers. It was raining and the roads were marginal even in dry weather. Their driver spoke no English but Hannah managed to carry on a conversation using what little of the language she retained from her childhood.

"Chuck, I remember this village. It hasn't changed much at all. My mom used to come here and barter and trade for food and cloth to make her dresses to sell. I was 4 or 5. She met my stepfather in the camp and the rest is history."

It was a cluster of shops, houses on stilts with graceful roofs, animal pens and small gardens that appeared suddenly and disappeared just as quickly as they continued down the track.

"Hannah, I don't mean to pry but I don't think Jacques is the kind of man to abandon his family to a refugee camp. What happened? He never would have left your mom and you without some support."

"Politics happened. Citizenship became an issue. Marital status became an issue. The powers in Bangkok didn't want their precious pure blood diluted with refugee blood and so if you weren't 'connected' you were sent to the camps. That's what my mother told me. I was too young to remember."

"The Thai version of ethnic cleansing? Seems harsh but then life here seems to be more than a little difficult."

They reached the refugee camp but smelled it a hundred yards before seeing it. The smell of garbage, human waste and a mass of more than 800 people created quite a stench. The camp itself looked more like a prison camp from some old war movie. High barbed wire fences, guard towers and guarded gates surrounded a patchwork of tin-covered shelters side-by-side with thatched roofs and plastic tarps. Not much had changed in twenty years.

"This is where you and your mother lived?" He was horrified and suddenly very grateful that Hannah's mother had escaped from this and married a decent man.

Her eyes were swimming in tears as she nodded her head and choked out, "Yes, this was my earliest memory."

"We're leaving. Get this truck turned around. I don't want my wife here a moment more." He was angry and frustrated. There was so much wealth in the world and these people had nothing but what they wore and little else.

Chuck saw the 'headquarters' a hundred yards down the track from the main gate. The baby blue of the UN flag flew above the gate. _'Probably down wind, too. Bastards!'_

"Take us to the main building please. I want to talk with the administrator of this cesspool." Hannah just looked at her hands, folded in her lap. He recognized this as her position when she was greatly upset about something and wanted to be left alone to think. She was gnawing at the inside of her mouth, another clear sign of her distress.

He whispered in her ear so that only she could hear. "Hannah, we're going home. I won't have you stay in this filthy place one second longer than is necessary. We'll fly to Australia and dive the Great Barrier Reef or tour the outback or go anywhere else in the world that will put a smile back on your face. We were wrong to come here."

She reached over and grabbed his scarred and crippled hand in both of hers. Her palms were sweaty, another sign of distress with her but her voice was firm and strong. "Stop at the main building, please. I want to see the administrator," she said to the driver. "We'll see, my love. But first, I need to speak with the man in charge. Will you 'have my back', Chuck, no matter what?"

"Back, front, bottom, top and sides, always." She smiled and squeezed his hand and looked back as the Land Cruiser stopped in front of the gate. An armed guard came to the window and prattled something to the driver and Hannah answered in the same language, her voice harsh and demanding.

"Out, Chuck. We're here and he'll take us in to see the administrator." She seemed different, more self-assured and confident.

* * *

It was like stepping into a 1930 Sydney Greenstreet flic set in the Orient. There he was, a sweaty, sloppy fat European in a white linen suit sitting in a rattan chair and drinking a cold drink under a slowly-revolving ceiling fan. There were two teenaged girls sitting at his feet.

The flash was detailed and disgusting. This man was a minor agent for the Far East Ring. He made money providing children and young girls to the whorehouses in Bangkok. He 'bought' them from parents desperate to escape the camps and resettle their remaining family elsewhere.

Chuck introduced himself, ignoring Hannah but squeezing her hand and sending a message of '_Trust Me'_ as if she could read minds.

"So, what do you want? Are you here for children? Something older perhaps? You obviously have good taste, sir, since you have one of the most beautiful short-time girls in all Bangkok on your arm." He was leering and mentally undressing Hannah who was wearing a light silk jacket over a tank top and silk slacks.

"Actually, my rent-a-friend here recommended I come here. I heard you have quite a stable to select from. May I see them? I've come well prepared to do business. Perhaps take a few off your hands?"

"Surely." He clapped his hands like some oriental potentate and a middle-aged Eurasian woman came out onto the verandah and received her instructions. "Take this gentleman to the holding area. I'll entertain his friend while he's shopping. The usual fees plus a premium for delivery to wherever he directs."

He pointed to Hannah and motioned for her to sit at his feet. Chuck almost drew his weapon and shot him but better sense prevailed.

"No. I've paid for her and I'll be the one she 'entertains'. Now, quickly, for it is beastly hot and I hadn't planned on spending much time out here in the jungle." He did everything but simper, hoping to further disarm the fat slob he planned on killing some day.

* * *

They followed the woman out to a fenced enclosure. There were several adult women, all young, in the large enclosure.

"What about those over there?" There were three children huddled together in an uncovered wire mesh enclosure barely big enough for them to lie down.

"Those are dust-bin children, mixed race, and they will be going to the village to work in the fields. Their parents are dead or too poor to provide for them and they have no one to raise them so they will go be workers for the villagers. Now, these over here are the ones you may select from. I'll have them disrobe…"

Hannah pulled Chuck's pistol from his waistband behind his back and shot the women in the head. Her face was contorted in rage and angry tears were running down her cheeks. The women in the enclosure pushed back into the shadows, hoping she would forget about them and not kill them.

He carefully peeled her hands from around the pistol and put it on 'safe', thankful that he'd had the foresight to screw on the silencer. He shoved it back into his pants under the jacket and took her in his arms.

"It's alright, Hannah. I understand. Those kids…I do understand, baby, really. We can't save the whole world, sweetheart, but we can at least give you your completion. Let's take them home. No field slaves. No sex slaves. Let's give them a home and parents – us."

He waited while she trembled against him, trying to stop crying. Finally, he could wait no longer. "Hannah, get your shit together. We have to get the kids and get out of here. Stop this crap right now! We don't have time for it."

He left her standing and walked over to the enclosure and saw it was padlocked. He shot off the lock and motioned for the children to come out but they just cowered as far from him as possible.

"Hannah, I need you over here. Talk to them, sweetheart, and tell them to follow us. Tell them we're taking them someplace where they won't have to be afraid, where they won't be hungry all the time and where people will love them and teach them. Do it, Hannah. We don't have any time for this!"

She snapped out of her fugue state and squatted down and chattered to the children. They reluctantly came to her and she told them to join hands and to follow her and her husband. They were safe now. No one would hurt them.

Chuck retraced the path to the verandah and walked out and made the sign of the Ring to the fat slob still sitting in his rattan chair. The response was immediate. He reached under his jacket for a weapon and Chuck shot him. He shushed the two girls and motioned them into the house and then he led Hannah and the children out to the Land Cruiser.

"Have them lay down in the back and not make a sound. We're heading back to Bangkok and then we're getting the hell out of Thailand." He called Chai and instructed him to have exit permits and visas for three children ready for him when they arrived at the plane at the airport.

"Chuck, this is insane. You can't run around shooting the Ring Administrator for the Thai region and then just disappear. There will be repercussions. The Far Eastern Ring will put a bounty on your head. I can hide the fat man but not the children. You must dispose of them. Take them to a villager and give them away. Labor is at a premium."

"Have the passports, visas and exit paperwork waiting at the airport. You are now the Ring Administrator. The people in the camps are your responsibility. There are enough men there that you can easily double your forces. Take advantage of the chaos and establish your authority. You'll have the Director General's backing and support for whatever you need. Now, Director Vathanakul, do your duty. Someday we'll laugh about this over wine in Paris but now is not the time to be timid."

"I understand. An additional hundred men will definitely be welcome. The paperwork and your luggage will be waiting for you at the plane. I'll have a flight plan filed for…where are you going?"

He thought for a minute and then grinned. "We're heading to Australia, of course. Going to dive the Great Barrier Reef and enjoy my honeymoon."

He redialed a number and spoke to Jacques and explained the situation and told him they were heading for India and then across Europe to France. They'd hop across Eurasia until they entered 'friendly airspace'.

Jacques spoke briefly to Hannah and then hung up the phone. He was glad he'd retired. He just hoped his successor was up to handling the mess his son-in-law had created. This situation could easily escalate into a full-blown civil war among the Ring regions. He laughed and poured himself another glass of wine. _Grandchildren to spoil rotten._

* * *

Chuck sat in the back row of the plane rerunning everything that had happened back at the refugee camp. He remembered how Hannah had gasped and then stiffened when the woman who was to be their guide walked out of the house. Hannah, the woman who had almost left him when she found out he'd killed someone, had taken his pistol and executed the woman without flinching, freezing up only after she'd made her kill.

Of all the possible scenarios for the situation, Hannah killing someone was never in the realm of possibilities and yet, she had. When she'd cried it had been for herself not for the woman she'd killed. He wouldn't push it. If she wanted to explain the 'why' she would, in her own time.

He was looking out the window not seeing anything as his mind ran through the events since the wedding. Hannah sat down beside him and asked him what was wrong.

"Hey, handsome, what's buggin' ya? You've been sitting back here in a funk since take off. What's wrong, Chuck?"

"I just wanted to give you time to talk to the kids, that's all. I've been sitting here running through all that's happened and I trying to figure out where we're going to put all the kids and us. The carriage house is too small and your father has the 'big house'. Maybe we could find a house in the village? It would mean some changes but I think we could manage. What do you think?"

"I think you worry enough about things for the rest of us. Thank you for your gift, my husband. You really over did it with three babies. OK, so they're not in diapers but they're ours now. So, Dad, come meet your offspring. They're afraid of you, y'know? They see you as some big white man who's taken them from all they've known and they're afraid."

"I think I'm more afraid of them than they are of me. What do I know about being a father? It's not like my parents were role models. My mother left us on Mother's day and my dad's a few fries short of a happy meal and couldn't decide whether to stay with us or leave. He left. See? Really good role models."

"The oldest is Pol. He has no idea how old he is. I think he's 12 or 13. He went from family to family within his clan but finally the guards spotted him and pulled him out for 'sale'. The oldest girl is Thi and I think she's probably 10 or 11. The little one is Pol's sister, Su-Phi but I have no idea how old she is. Chuck, she doesn't speak, not at all. I think something happened, something terrible, and she doesn't speak because of it. We'll get Ellie to give them proper physicals when we get home."

"They called them 'dust bin' kids. That's the same as calling them 'trash'. I'm glad those two are dead. Chai's coming in to recruit a force from the men and to distribute the aid packages that are in the warehouse behind the main office. Bastard wasn't distributing the food to the internees. He was probably selling it."

"Yeah. I remember how he offered food for 'favors' of some women. I guess he got really bold as the years went by." She was hiding something. Chuck's spy training could detect deceit from body language and patterns of speech and Hannah's fairly shrieked 'LIAR'.

"Come, Chuck. Come meet your new family. You'll do fine. Just quit worrying about it and just be you."

'And just who in the hell am I now? A spy, the intersect host, a double agent and now, a husband and father. What happened to just plane old 'Chuck & Hannah'? And why did my gentle wife kill that woman in cold blood without even blinking?'

Su-Fi was sitting on her knees looking out the window at the clouds and the land far below. It was a day of firsts for her. Her first time in a vehicle. Her first time in an airplane. Her first day in a new family. She cringed when the big man sat across from her and smiled and offered her a bottle of water.

"This is water. It's OK to drink it, Su-Fi. I'm Chuck and that's Hannah, my wife and your new mother. I know you don't understand a thing I'm saying to you but we want you to be happy."

He unscrewed to top of the bottle and handed her the water bottle. She warily accepted and sipped experimentally and then almost drained the bottle. She had been so thirsty and the water was so good. It was clean and clear with none of the harsh tastes from the water truck that brought water daily to the camp.

Maybe this one would be different. He seemed kind and his woman spoke the tongue of the camps. She'd withhold judgment. If he 'visited' her sleeping pallet then he was no different than the rest.

She turned to look back out the window at the world she'd never imagined existed. She ignored him and he looked away sadly and his woman said something she couldn't understand to the man.

"Don't worry about her, honey. She'll come around. Use that Bartowski charm on her like you used it on me. Just remember she's only 8 or 9 but has lived a really harsh life."

She'd seen the sadness on his face and wanted him to understand the situation but she was afraid to explain too much lest he ask her questions about _her_ life in the camp.


	18. Chapter 18

ChuckParis17

A/N: I see from traffic reports that reader interest is waning. So is mine and that's what's important…thanks to Jojobevco for the prompt review. Best wishes on a speedy recovery to the Dutchman in the hands of Nederlands' socialized medicants.

* * *

Hugo, Ellie and Henri met them at the small public airport in Dijon and quickly expedited the new family through Customs. It was obvious from the disinterest on the part of the Customs Officers that money had changed hands. Other than smiles and waves and the stamping of passports, nothing happened. They didn't even open their bags for a cursory look-see.

"Let's get the kids home and I'll do a quick exam of each of them. Blood work will have to be done through one of the cover labs, Hugo, so make arrangements. We don't know what these kids might be carrying. Chuck, are these all the clothes you could find? I mean…they're rags, Chuck, rags!"

Chuck started to reply, his face clouding with anger but Hannah answered for him. "Ellie, we had no time or opportunity to get clothes. We were more concerned with getting out of there with our asses intact. Damn it, Eleanor, you have no idea the spot I put Chuck in so don't you dare try and blame this on him."

Ellie's face reddened and she looked at her brother with an unvoiced question. "Um, well, I kinda shot up the place when I found out he was selling women to the brothels and sending the orphan kids into slavery so…yeah, we had to split with just what they had on. We stopped at…"

"Bullshit, Chuck! Don't you dare take the blame." She turned her angry gaze on Ellie who, for once, kept her big mouth shut. "I shot the woman who sold us to my mother's husband. Do you know the 'going rate' for a woman with a child she wants to keep? $500US. That's what we were worth, five hundred bucks. He bought a woman and became her master and she his concubine. Me? I was just baggage."

"Hannah, I'm sorry I popped off…" but she cut Ellie off and turned to her husband.

"Chuck, that's why I left my family as soon as I could. It's why I live in France instead of the US. I can't stand to look at them together – the concubine and her master. I'm sorry. I should have told you. I'm not sorry I shot her, Chuck, just sorry I screwed up your life, that's all. You married me not knowing the whole truth. I should have told you before we got married. I never thought you'd find out. It was so long ago. That's why I wanted to go alone."

Chuck turned to Ellie, still angry. "Satisfied? It's an ugly world we live in, Ellie, and it's about to get a whole lot uglier. Don't think for one minute, for one second, that what she did was wrong because it wasn't. It was jungle justice and I'm glad she did it because I was going to but she beat me to it."

He turned to his new 'family' and smiled and waved them out of the terminal and into the helicopter that Hugo and Ellie had arrived in. While Hugo ran the preflight, they got the necessary conversation out of the way before the flapping rotors made speech impossible.

* * *

"Hugo, let's take some basic measurements when we get back to the carriage house and then Ellie and Hannah can go into town and pick up some essentials. We'll save the full wardrobe for a trip to Paris. We'll need to get some cots set up in the spare bedroom while we look for a place down in the village. Got any ideas?"

Hugo just smiled and then laughed. "Oh, yes, Director, but perhaps you might first consult with the _Director Emeritus_? After all, they're _his _grandchildren. He's been making plans, Chuck, and I think you and Hannah will be pleased."

The new title escaped Chuck's notice but Hannah saw Ellie's face tighten in suppressed laughter. She had not missed the title and she knew what it meant. Chuck had a new boss and her father was merely a respected and revered figurehead and 'advisor'. She wondered who the new Director General was? It would mean a move for her and Chuck. Perhaps to a new posting in another country? She worried about the massive adjustment facing the children. She was already thinking like a mother.

The children were trying to appear nonchalant about the helicopter but the way the girl hung onto her brother made it obvious she was scared to death. Chuck walked over and squatted down beside them and took her hand from her brother's and unbuckled her seatbelt and led her forward to where Henri was piloting and Hugo was dozing.

He nudged Hugo and motioned him to the back and then sat Su-Fi in the copilot's seat, put the helmet on her head and knelt down between the seats after putting on her safety harness. She grabbed his hand and leaned forward and looked out the Perspex floor window and reflexively pulled her legs up onto the seat. She looked at him and laughed and he smiled even though he couldn't hear the laughter. Progress. A smile.

* * *

Chateau Almandine  
15km SW of Paris

"Have you lost your mind, Jacques?" Chuck was not in the mood to be respectful or nice or even civil with his father-in-law.

"No. It was the logical choice. You bring fresh ideas and a longing for the original Ring and you've instituted changes that have brought the majority of our operations out of the shadows. The vote was by no means unanimous but after vigorous debate, the council voted 8-2 in your favor."

"I don't care if the vote was unanimous. You had no right to put me in this position. I've got enough to do with running the Circus and now you've dumped the real 'circus' on me at the worst possible time."

"Ah, you sound like a character from Dickens. Charles, you have what it takes and you're not alone. Learn to delegate. You have Henri and Hugo and 10 regional directors, OK, NINE regional directors since the Far East is in an uproar over the assassination of their sub-regional director…"

"The man was a monster regardless of his affiliations with us through the Far East. And the Far East! A throw-back to the days of warlords and feudalism."

Jacques said nothing. He knew his son-in-law better than he knew himself. He would rant, rave, then grow silent and then go off and plan something so subtle that sometimes not even Jacques could see it. The human intersect and the Ring. _'A formidable combination indeed.'_

* * *

Chuck was overwhelmed with the task before him. He felt torn between his duties to his country and his allegiance to the Circus and 'the circus'. He'd built Circus Information Systems into an incredible money maker for the Ring and he had identified several replacements for himself if he 'went deep' or needed to step away for other reasons.

'_Well, I guess becoming the head of the largest non-governmental espionage organization on the planet qualifies as one of the 'other reasons.'_

"I need to think. I have the kids to tend to. We have to find a new place to live and that'll be 'fun'. They need tutors and then proper schooling. They'll need counseling and language lessons and…shit, Jacques, I don't think I can handle all this. This is just too much. You ask too much. When will it end? I need to think."

He walked out without another word leaving a bemused Jacques wondering again why Chuck felt he was alone in this. He called for Henri and Hugo and the security staff. He would 'run interference' for his son-in-law and try and take at least the domestic hassles from his shoulders.

Chuck wandered through the gardens thinking. _'This damned assignment was only supposed to last a year, two tops. It's been too long since I was just 'Chuck'. I have a wife, kids, the Circus job. That's enough. I can't do this anymore. I want out. I need to just get out.'_

He was on the verge of a panic attack. There was no one he could talk to who didn't own a piece of him or a piece of the action. Casey and Forrest were out. He couldn't talk to Hannah. He couldn't talk to Henri or Hugo. He'd be dead within minutes.

He thought about his sister but even her loyalties were suspect. She was sleeping with Hugo and thought no one knew, least of all her little brother. It was as plain as the nose on her face. Elli and Hugo? Beauty and the Beast. He shook his head and laughed bitterly.

Su-Fi was hiding in the shrubbery. She loved the gardens and had slipped away from the dust-bin woman to explore her new home. Her brother was too enthralled with the picture box as was Thi. She had problems focusing on the images. No one knew she was nearly blind. The diet in the camps lacked vitamins and her sight was failing and she was afraid they'd take her back if anyone found out.

She froze when the big man from the camp, the one who had held her hand in the helicopter, walked by, deep in thought. He sat on the stone bench across from her hiding place and just stared off into the distance. At first she thought he was meditating but then she saw the sun-glistened tear tracks and knew he was crying.

Su-Fi crept away, suddenly afraid. Something terrible must have happened and she needed to warn her brother and Thi that there might be trouble for them. She did not want to go back to the camp. She looked back at the man and stopped. He had his face in his hands and his shoulders were shaking with quiet sobs. She'd seen this in the camp when people had lost everything and had nothing more to give to life. Those people usually died.

The child wanted to creep away to hide but her heart tugged at her and she crept back to her original hiding place and then mustered as much courage as she'd ever felt and stood and walked soundlessly on bare feet over to the bench and climbed into his lap and hugged him as her mother used to hug her when she cried.

The man tensed but then relaxed when he saw it was her. She snuggled in close to him and hoped she'd done the right thing. She was cold but did not want the big man to visit her sleeping pallet, wherever it might be. Maybe he'd go to see Thi instead. His grip on her tightened and his sobs deepened. She had no idea what to do so she did nothing but hold on to him as he began to rock her.

He started whispering to her knowing that she couldn't understand a single word except for her name. His grip loosened and he set her up on her feet carefully. He wouldn't look her in the eye. He stood and took her hand and they walked slowly through the garden.

Chuck glanced down and saw she was shivering so he took off his light jacket and put it around her and zipped it up. He should have realized that the climate change would be hard on them and shook his head. _'Another damned thing I let slip by me. They're from a tropical rainforest environment not this European weather. They need warm clothes.'_

He stopped when one of the garden's 'guardians', a peacock, walked across the path and challenged him. Su-Fi leaped up into his arms, terrified of what she could only hear and not see other than as a blur of color. It must be one of the garden dragons set here to protect the garden.

"Hey, Su-Fi, it's just a peacock, not a tiger or lion or bear, oh my!" He laughed but she just held on tighter and buried her face in his shoulder when the peacock crowed again.

"Shoo!" He stomped his foot and the bird ran away. "OK, let go and let's get back to your new house and ask Aunt Ellie to look at your eyes." He'd seen the dry puffiness in the left eye and the beginnings of the same condition in the right eye. She hung on to him, not willing to let go. There _were_ monsters such as the old women told them about to frighten them into obedience.

* * *

Stuart-Walker residence  
Arlington, VA

She couldn't seem to catch her breath. She saw the bullet strike, the look of terror and then pain and then his body struck the outer wall of the Café Lafayette.

She sat up, drenched in fear-sweat. Mike slept beside her, blissfully unaware that his fiancé was still struggling with the death of the man she had thrown away, possibly driving him to a series of decisions that ended in his death.

"Sarah? Sarah, what's wrong, honey? Bad dreams?" He had a feeling it was the recurring nightmare that plagued her on and off at least once or twice a month. She wouldn't talk about it, simply brushing off his concern with '_It's an occupational hazard, Mike. I just need to shower and then I'll be right back here where I feel safest.'_

Sometimes she'd wake up crying and other times, like tonight, she'd struggle to sit up and shake away the horror of her dream. She was right about one thing: he didn't want to know what she was dreaming about. She deserved her private moments and memories and he didn't intend to pry. If she wanted him to know, she'd tell him.

The warm water helped calm her and she reconsidered her decision to forego the offer of 'counseling' when she separated from the CIA on an 'extended leave of absence'. The glass shower door opened and closed and she was enveloped in the strong arms and love of the man she was going to marry on the 1st of September. The effects of the dream vanished as he worked his magic on her with lips and fingertips. She sighed contentedly as her body answered his summons.

* * *

A month later, after a series of meetings and briefings, Michael Stuart flew to Paris to attend a meeting of industrial developers who were thinking about relocating a plant to his district. Sarah absolutely refused to accompany him saying that the city held too many bad memories for her. He just sighed and accepted her decision.

'_She's still holding on to his memory. She still murmurs 'Chuck' in her sleep. Will she refuse to come with me after we're married and the senate confirms my appointment?'_

* * *

Chateau Almandine

"Chuck, you need to slow down, baby. Honestly, you're 34 and you're burning the candle at both ends and now you want to light it in the damned middle! No! Absolutely not. I forbid it. I've never interfered in your business but this time I have to. Look in the mirror, Chuck. Look at the black circles and the worry lines. You're killing yourself because you can't let go."

"Hannah, I have to do this. Whoever this guy is, he knows about me, us, about everything since Paris. All I have to do is meet him and evaluate his information and sources. I'll be heavily guarded and it's just a simple meet and greet with minimum exposure. The Sacramento team will be my security, Hannah, and I trust them."

"I want to go with you, Chuck. I want to be there, even if it's sitting on my ass in the surveillance vehicle. I have to, Chuck. It's important to me. I haven't seen you this upset about anything since Antwerp. Ellie and my dad will watch the kids. After all, it's only a _'meet and greet', _right?" She raised her eyebrow and he knew he would give in.

"Fine. You win. Just promise me that you'll stay in the van and let the guys handle my security. I won't be able to concentrate on the situation if your safety is on my mind."

"Deal. Now, change of subject. This weekend we're going to the hotel where we ate pheasant naked in bed. I want to do that again. I don't care if it's pheasant or fish; I want it. A weekend in Paris with no worries after your meeting. OK? Please?"

He looked at her and his eyebrows danced and he grinned. "There's chicken in the frig…want to practice?"

* * *

Paris

Alex and Casey would be positioned to watch the pick-up. Chuck had called Casey when he'd first been contacted by the mysterious Mr. 'X' and reviewed the conditions for the meeting. He didn't tell him who the man was. He didn't want complications. He wanted this done right and put behind him.

"Chuck, it sounds like a trap or they're positioning you for a hit. Standing out in front of the American embassy at 11am is like sitting at ground zero. I recommend against it. This guy can't hurt you, Chuck. Your cover is safe and you're well protected by Ring security. Blow it off. Call his bluff."

"Easy for you to say, Casey. Your life is nice and orderly. I stand to lose my wife, my kids, everything. Hannah has no idea of my involvement with the NSA or that my mission here was facilitated by our relationship."

"You were fucking shot by me, Bartowski, and would have died if you hadn't had that damned alky's flask on you. It was all gravy after that. You told them the truth. You didn't use her. Hell, you married her."

"She'll never believe it wasn't part of the assignment. She'll never know I really did love her at first sight and she'll never believe any of it has been real since. I have to meet this guy. I have to honor the threat to my family."

"We can bring you and Hannah and the kids in, Chuck. Drop you someplace in flyover country with new identities and an opportunity for a new life. Don't meet this guy."

"Sorry. I have to. I already sent the confirmation."

* * *

That night as they lay in bed, he told Hannah everything. All of it.

"Hannah, I lied to you about the plane and about almost everything that happened that first month in Paris." She stiffened and tried to pull away from his embrace but he just tightened his hold on her and plowed on.

"It _was_ love at first sight but I had to deny it to you and to myself because of my mission. Listen to everything and then, if you want me to leave, I will. I don't want to lose what I have here but I'll go and you'll never see me again. Now listen…"

He told her everything. He was supposed to infiltrate the Ring by approaching her father. He had no idea that she was his daughter when he'd flirted with her on the flight. No one knew Dubois even had a daughter. He wanted nothing more than to dump the mission and pursue her and make her his own but the mission trumped his personal feelings.

"So, all this is a lie? Our affair, our marriage? Was the assassination attempt even real or was it another spy trick to ensure you 'got in'?"

"Everything between us has been real. The assassination attempt was real. I never betrayed a single Ring operative except for Dill and that was personal and he was dead. I did rat out the Fulcrum infrastructure but that was because of their attempts to overthrow the government. I've redirected the Ring, molded it back into the force your father originally intended it to be. And now I'm losing everything because I haven't been honest with the one person of the planet I can't be without – you."

"So, you're going to leave us? Go back to her? All this time it was her, wasn't it?"

"There is no one else and there will never be anyone else. What part of 'forsaking_ all others'_ didn't you understand? If you send me away, I'll just go deep and…"

"And what? Send for her? Live with her?"

"No. Aren't you listening? There will be no one else in my life. I'll just wait to die. I'm sure your father will send someone. It's a matter of honor with him. And I'll die loving you as much as when I first saw you on the plane, Hannah. That will never change."

"I think you need to sleep elsewhere. I need to think. I don't want you near me, understand, Charles? Not now. Maybe not ever. I don't know you. You're not the man I thought you were when we married. Go. Please."

And he did.


	19. Chapter 19

ChuckParis17b

* * *

Chateau Almandine

Chuck took the Mercedes to Paris. It was nearly midnight but he couldn't spend another second at the Chateau or on its grounds. She'd told him to leave and there was little hope in his mind that he'd ever see her again, except if she appeared in divorce court or if she wanted to witness his execution by one of the Ring enforcers he was sure would soon be on his trail.

He wasn't running. He had things to do and the least important of them was his personal security.

He drove into the Circus Information Systems offices and parked in the underground garage. He'd take a cab to the meeting on the embassy steps in the morning. He took the lift to the top floor and unlocked the office that was keyed to his retina pattern. It was where he did his thinking.

Two hours later and he was done 'thinking' and ready to act. First, he would destroy every link between himself and the Combine. Then he would eradicate any record of the existence of Charles Windsor and lastly, he would resurrect Chuck Bartowski and go deep and lose himself in some septic tank of a third world country and wait for the inevitable.

It was all automatic. The program he'd set in place would activate itself at 4pm on the following day and he'd cease to exist. He would keep his appointment on the embassy steps and honor the threat to his family. He had no choice.

He tidied up his office and left, retracing his steps to the underground parking garage. As he approached his Mercedes he noticed a dark shape lurking just outside the pool of light created by the overhead fluorescents. She hadn't wasted much time in spilling her guts to her precious 'papa' and he'd done exactly as he'd anticipated, sending a liquidation team to deal with the threat to _his_ family.

Chuck reached into his suit coat and pulled out his 9mm. No point in using a silencer. He had no intention of running. He'd been 'on the run' for nearly 3 years and it was time to stop and make his stand – nothing heroic, just a final meting out of some form of weird justice.

Hugo and Henri had been sent by the Old Man to bring his son-in-law home. There had been a terrible misunderstanding between his daughter and her husband and he wanted Chuck back where he belonged, in charge of the Ring and with his family. He was dealing with his daughter and giving her a long overdue lesson in _real politik. _

His instructions had been very clear: "Bring Charles home and be quick and sudden about it. Use tranquilizer guns with low-dosage darts. He still has a meeting to attend in the morning and I want him coherent when my daughter apologizes to him."

Hugo stepped from behind the support column. "Chuck, come home with us. There is no problem that can't be worked out. Your wife was upset and said things she didn't mean. Please, don't let it end here. There is still a lot to be done, Chuck, and we can't do it without you."

Chuck smiled and put himself in Hugo's shoes. Kill him here and they'd rob his father-in-law of his 'moment'. Well, tough. He aimed his pistol and put two rounds into the column, nowhere near Hugo but forcing him to seek cover. Chuck whirled and dashed between two parked maintenance vehicles. He's said '…come home with _us.' _

He quietly walked behind the parked vehicles, trying to flank his friend. He couldn't shoot him or Henri. He had to escape the garage somehow. He made his way back to the elevator bank and called for a car, not the one he'd come down on. He wanted a delay, to allow his opponents to get into position while he flanked them and made his way to his car.

Henri watched as Chuck made his way carefully back to the elevators and called for a car. Such a shame. He holstered his tranquilizer pistol and drew out his MAT 47 machine pistol. It was obvious that the Director General had no intention of surrendering himself probably figuring that they were here to kill him. Well, he would support that assumption and force him to reveal his position to Hugo with his tranquilizer pistol. He fired a burst at the elevator doors just as Chuck ran from concealment and stepped into the arriving car and into the line of fire.

Hugo yelled for Henri to hold his fire and rushed to the elevators and called another car, the one Chuck had come down in. He'd seen at least two bullets strike his friend in the back just as the elevator door closed on his car.

"Henri, you were supposed to drive him away from the elevators and to me, not shoot him down like a dog! What were you thinking?"

"I was trying to close off the lifts to him. I didn't know he was hiding awaiting a car. Damn it. Hannah will cut my nuts off if her precious Chuck is scratched."

"I saw two rounds impact his back. I just hope he's not dead! Maybe you're getting too old for this game, Henri. Maybe it's time to marry one of the girls you spend so much time with at Madam Rosa's and open a wine shop or something. He was not to be harmed! What a mess!"

* * *

The force of the bullets striking his back threw him headlong into the elevator car's rear wall, almost knocking him out. He lay there for a minute, dazed and out of breath, but congratulating himself on having the foresight to wear a lightweight vest. He'd almost carried it with him but decided at the last minute to actually wear it and make sure it didn't restrict his movements too much and still allow him to have his hands free.

He wiped his hand across his bloody nose that he'd probably broken when he slammed face first into the car wall. Shit! Well, he had a complete change of clothes in his office and at Hannah's old apartment he'd purchased as a surprise wedding gift. He'd have to remember to send her the paperwork. It would give her a place to unwind when the kids got too much for her or an overnight refuge if she an Ellie 'shopped 'til they dropped' in Paris.

He left a bloody handprint on the elevator wall when he pushed himself up and out of the car when it arrived at his floor. He quickly punched each of the remaining buttons including the parking garage and got off the elevator into the corridor of the operations center. He ran across the floor space and down the emergency stairs to the garage. Hopefully they'd follow the elevator car and not him.

Chuck grinned when he opened the door and saw a deserted parking level. He sprinted to his Mercedes and drove out of the garage and into a rainy Paris night. He'd hole up at the apartment. He hadn't told anyone he'd bought it. It was a surprise for Hannah and now it would be his safe house for the near future until he figured out what to do after meeting with Stuart.

Hugo had run up the stairs when he saw that every floor light was lit on Chuck's car. The bastard hoped we'd get on a car and go right to his office. He waited on the third floor and swore when the car door opened and he saw the bloody handprint on the car wall. He radioed Henri that Chuck had slipped out onto a lower floor and to meet him back in the garage at their car.

A few minutes later Henri arrived at their car, huffing and puffing. "Henri, you should start exercising. Listen to you. You can't even catch your breath. Chuck is hurt. There's a bloody handprint on the elevator and I think the canny bastard hit all the floor buttons hoping we'd follow them to the office level and give him time to get free. Well, we found him here via the Lo-Jack and we'll just follow him around until he either passes out or stops. You better hope nothing happens to him or Hannah will be furious and you'll be…in a bad way."

They followed his signal and parked a block away from where the car was stopped. They approached on foot, not wanting to catch a bullet from their boss. He had no idea they were sent to bring him home, not kill him.

His wife had accused him of infidelity 'in his heart' and thrown him out on his ass. What did she expect him to do, sit around and wait for her to come to her senses? Her father had called her a simple fool and sent Hugo and Henri to bring him home, tranked, if necessary. They both knew Chuck would see any pursuit in the worst possible light and Henri's machine pistol burst had cemented that idea in his mind.

"Hugo, I think I know where he's gone. Their old apartment is just a few blocks from here. I'll bet he goes there. No one is living there. It's been vacant for a while."

* * *

Chuck arrived at the apartment, used his key that Hannah had given him in the very beginning and secured the door and set the external alarms. His back was killing him and he needed to tend to his damned nose that wouldn't quit bleeding. It felt like he had a damned turnip on his face. He just hoped that his eyes wouldn't turn black. He needed to make an impression the next day at his meeting and two black eyes would not convey the impression he wished.

He stripped off his suit coat, the vest and then his shirt. He had several changes of clothes already here. He'd snuck out several changes of clothes for the both of them since he was planning on surprising her and staying for a weekend.

'_Tonight sure changed those plans. I'll be lucky to get out of France alive. I suppose I could ask Casey for help but first I have to find out what Stuart knows and intends to do with that knowledge. I have to protect my family. Then I'll worry about good ol' Chuck.'_

Hugo called Hannah and told her they'd found Chuck but that there might be a problem with bringing him home.

"We want you to come here, Hannah, to your old apartment. That's where he's gone to ground. I know he doesn't know we Lo-Jacked his car otherwise he'd have left it in the parking garage."

"Why do I need to come there? His home is here."

"He…he might be…unwilling to come with us. There was an incident in the parking garage at Circus Information and he lost us and then came here. There was blood in the elevator, Hannah. So you better come. He won't shoot you on sight like he might Henri or I. Ellie would not appreciate it if her brother killed her lover, would she? Please, Hannah, you're wasting time. You know how he thinks. He's up there planning on killing us if we show our faces. You're the only one who can reach him."

"Twenty-five minutes at our old apartment. Be out front and make sure he doesn't leave, understand me, boys? No more mistakes. No more 'misunderstandings' and definitely no more damned 'incidents'. Apologizing to the big dork is going to be hard enough for me to do when he's healthy so he better not have so much as a scratch on him, understand?"

"Um, Hannah, it might be a little late for that but we'll keep him in place." She sounded more and more like her father on one of his bad days.

* * *

Chuck finished cleaning himself up and then rummaged through the closet to find something easy to slip on and off. His back was killing him and he thanked the Fates that he'd decided to wear the vest. He twisted around in the mirror and saw the two black and blue impact points. Henri might be old but he was accurate.

Checking the alarm and setting it for 7am, he collapsed into bed, hoping that 5 hours sleep would be enough to get him through the next day.

Forty minutes later the internal alarm signified that someone had opened the front (and only) door to the apartment. He rolled off the bed with his pistol in hand and waited to see who would be his next would-be assassin.

"Chuck, it's Hannah. Please don't shoot me. I just want to talk to you. I'm coming up, Chuck, and I'm not armed. I just want to talk to you and explain – I want to beg you to come home, baby. I was wrong and I know that now. You told my father everything the first day and I was too shocked to understand. Chuck? Chuck, please answer me!"

She held the trank pistol behind her back hoping she wouldn't have to use it. She'd screwed up and forgotten whom she was married to. He would never betray her. He never lied to her, only by omission and she knew that the Sarah woman was in the past. Now all she had to do was convince him of her sincerity.

He walked silently to a corner near the head of the staircase, not trusting her for one minute. Women. They all turned on him eventually. He was so tired of all the damned drama in his life.

"Hannah, go home to papa. You have your kids and your father and that should be enough. Go home and take those two bumbling idiots with you. I'll make the meeting tomorrow, weigh any threats and handle them. After that, I'll just disappear. Go home. I'll have my lawyers send you the papers for the apartment and the surrounding block. It was supposed to be a surprise gift to you. Well, surprise, surprise. Now go home!"

"Home is where the heart is and my heart is here with you, so I am home, Chuck. I'm coming upstairs now. Please, don't be mad, sweetheart. My father already took me to task and called me a stupid fool for doubting you and he was right."

She was almost to the top of the stairs. In the dark he could smell her essence, the slightest hint of perfume that she sometimes wore to bed.

"Please, honey, give me a chance to apologize. I was wrong and I was brutal with you and it's because I was crushed that you hadn't been honest with me from the first. I wanted to hurt you for hurting me so I accused you of the one thing you couldn't defend yourself from – that damned blonde spy bitch who tore your heart out."

He wanted to believe her. He needed to believe her because without her he had no reason to live.

She reached the top of the stairs and stepped into the bedroom, unaware that Chuck was behind her and had seen the trank pistol in the dim light from the first floor landing.

He was going to snatch the pistol from her hand but she dropped it and unfastened her raincoat and let it drop to the floor, too. She was naked and shivering slightly in the dampness as she made her way slowly towards where she thought he was.

"Chuck, please. Don't leave us. I need you like air. Please," and in a very small voice, "please, I'm sorry. I hurt you and I'm sorry. Please, Chuck? Please?"

She was hugging herself and trembling but it wasn't from the cold. She'd done all she could, said all she could, and now she was waiting for him to decide their fate.

He slipped up behind her and wrapped her up in his arms and whispered that he was the one who should be apologizing. She turned around and looked up at him and smiled. Everything was going to be all right.

"Take me to bed, husband, and love me even though I hurt you terribly. This is where we started and this is where we should start again. It's late and I'm cold and I really screwed this up bad. Call the idiots and tell them to go home. We're fine now."

"You call them. I don't think they'll believe me. Go ahead. Call them. We're wasting time here, Hannah, and I'm tired. I'm not as young as I used to be."

* * *

Front steps of the American Embassy  
Paris, France

Congressman Michael Stuart smiled at the Marine guard and retrieved his briefcase and walked across the broad lobby towards the doors. His meeting had been 'interesting' and he valued the opportunities he was being given. He just didn't know if his fiancé would view his decision not to run for governor but rather to accept an ambassadorship as a 'cop out'.

His meeting with the current ambassador had been a fact-finding one for Mike. He asked hard questions and got honest answers, even if he didn't always like the answers. He and Sarah would have a lot to talk about when he got back the following evening. The investing developers' meetings had gone very well and it looked like he'd be able to give his district a farewell gift of 200 jobs and more as the business grew.

He walked down the steps and glanced at his watch. 10:59pm. At least he was punctual. He walked down and stopped on the same step as his 'guest' and turned and offered him his hand.

"Agent Bartowski, Mike Stuart. Thank you for meeting with me. Our limo will be here momentarily and I'd like to buy you a drink." The man beside him ignored his hand and stared straight ahead, his tone was hard and carried the message 'I will be obeyed'. This was not the 'Chuck' in the photographs he'd kept for the past 18 months in his personal safe.

"Congressman, keep your hands out of your pockets and set down the briefcase when we enter _my_ limo. Someone will retrieve it and leave it at your hotel. Are you wearing a wire or any recording equipment? Don't lie to me."

"Nope. This is purely personal, Ag…"

"Windsor, Charles Windsor. Bartowski was murdered a few blocks from here. I'll take you there and we can have our drink. Our talk will be in the limo." He held a jammer in the palm of his hand. He was taking no chances.


	20. Chapter 20

ChuckParis18

Meeting & Greeting and Discouraging

* * *

US Embassy Steps  
Paris

Chuck saw that Henri was driving the Ring limo when he got out and opened the doors for his passengers and he smirked just like Casey would have in a similar situation. Henri hoped the Director General was not holding a grudge for the incident in the parking garage.

Chuck raised the glass partition between them once they were out in traffic and turned on the jammer. The warning light blinked red rapidly indicating there was a device in operation that couldn't be thwarted.

Chuck lowered the partition and told Henri to 'turn off the fucking bug' but Henri turned and looked at him and shook his head. It wasn't one of _his._ '_Panzer! He never follows orders. He's the Casey of Bugs in his life.'_

A few seconds later, "Henri, pull over here. We'll walk the rest of the way. Meet me at the Café Lafayette in 45 minutes. You'll drive the ambassador-designate back to his hotel and I'll go on to meet Hannah as originally planned. I'll walk, so don't give me any of your crap. I'm carrying and no one is going to shoot me, not this time."

Henri heard the flat tone and cringed. He **was **holding a grudge for the previous evening's events. _Merde!_

* * *

Ring Surveillance Van

"Hugo, why are they stopping? They're getting out of the limo! That's not the plan. Hugo, what's happening?" Hannah was nervous about the whole 'meet the enemy on ground of our choosing' thing that Chuck had insisted would maximize his safety. She'd almost lost her husband to a misunderstanding and now _this!_

"I don't know but you have to trust your husband. He knows something we don't and he's reacting to it and neutralizing it. Notice that the man is confused by the sudden change? That means Chuck is still in control of the situation."

Casey was also upset by the plan change. The route from the embassy to the Café Lafayette had been 'leaked' to him and he had two security teams posted on the ground and snipers on top of lower buildings so that any threat to their agent could be dealt with. "Get back in the damned limo, Chuck. There are too many blind spots between here and the café."

* * *

A few minutes later they'd reached a relatively crowd-free sidewalk and Chuck felt comfortable talking. "Well, Mr. Windsor, you seem unusually well informed. There hasn't been a word said about my nomination as ambassador to France. I haven't even made up my own mind about it. And then there's Senate confirmation hearings to get past."

"Haven't you, Mr. Stuart? I'd say that your meeting with the current ambassador was more of a Q&A than a courtesy call. I think you'll enjoy Paris if you lose the stick up your ass and relax. The French are horrible snobs and nothing pisses them off more than a 'stuffed-shirt American'."

"I need to discuss it with my fiancé and my kids. It's a big step for us all. I'm not sure if Sarah will want to leave the US."

"Enough of the pleasantries, Mr. Stuart. What is it you want? You are also 'unusually well informed'." He fixed him with the same stare that most recognized as 'Don't fuck with Chuck' as his wife had called it.

"General Beckman included me in some briefings and I've known about your mission and role almost since inception. She used me and my position on the House Select Intelligence Committee to grill certain members of the CIA in order to get to the bottom of several events such as what happened to her agent in Argentina and afterwards."

"That doesn't explain your phone call and your veiled threats against the security of my family, Congressman. Suppose you expand on that, please." The sarcasm was heavy enough to cut with a butter knife.

"I had to get your attention somehow, Chuck. It's important to me that we speak honestly."

Chuck snorted at the use of his first name in conjunction with 'honestly' from a politician. "You have my attention, congressman. Now what do you want."

"You and my fiancé have a history. I need to know if…I – I …shit. This is harder than I thought."

For the first time he felt something akin to sympathy for Stuart. He knew exactly what he wanted to know and exactly what he wanted to hear.

"I have no interest in rekindling anything with your fiancé, Mr. Stuart. I'm married and have children. It was love at first sight, Hannah and I. Nothing I ever felt could possibly have prepared me for that. I love my wife, Mr. Stuart. You want to know about Sarah and I, right? I mean that's who we're talking about, right?

Stuart just looked at him sadly and then nodded his head in the affirmative. The tone of Windsor's voice had changed, become almost bitter.

"She was a good friend, a long time ago, nothing more. Absolutely _nothing_ more. And I believe even the friendship is dead now, knowing what I know."

He pulled off the kid leather gloves he always wore in public. He held up his hands with the backs facing Mike. "See these hands, these grotesque fingers? _She_ is responsible although I doubt she knew that the man she ordered kidnapped in Argentina and 'vigorously interrogated' and then dumped in Iceland was me." He pulled the gloves back on.

"I – I don't know what to say. I've never seen…I am just speechless. Sarah ordered this? Sarah dumped you into Cold Storage? Surely your information is wrong, Windsor. It has to be wrong. She couldn't possibly order this…this…this torture, could she?" '_Certainly not to the man she loved…'_

"Ask _her_. I quit trying to figure her out a long time ago. Too complicated, too full of denial and too rigidly in control."

He continued walking towards the sidewalk café where he knew Stuart would start asking more penetrating questions. He stopped when he realized that Stuart had taken his answer quite literally and was on his cell phone standing in the middle of a busy sidewalk in Paris. He quickly walked back and snatched the cell phone from his hand and disconnected the call before it could be answered.

"Asshole! She was a spy, an agent, an assassin and she did what she did to protect sheep like you from the real world. It's why she cries in her sleep, has dreams that make her wake up screaming. It's why she doesn't deserve someone who can't accept her service and sacrifice and just love her for who she is now. Go home, Stuart. Go home and thank God for the Sarah Walkers of the world who do the nasty things you do-gooders gnash your teeth and rant about on the 6 O'clock news."

"You're talking about…"

"You have no idea what I'm talking about. You think the world is black and white; well, it's not. The world she lived in was gray and dark and dangerous. She did what she did for the greater good. If you can't accept that then for God's sake end it with her. She doesn't need someone looking down his nose at her like she's filth." He turned and walked quickly away before he killed the man.

"Wait, Windsor. You can't just drop a load of shit like that on me and walk away!" He hurried to catch up to Chuck. He wanted to know more. He didn't doubt for one second that he'd heard the pure truth from this man he'd just met and felt he could someday call a friend. He also knew he was talking about himself as much as he'd spoken about Sarah.

They walked in silence after Chuck told him to 'shut up, we're almost there'. The Café Lafayette was open and friendly and the wait staff knew him both by sight and name and greeted him. He gave the waiter their order, not asking the Congressman his choice, again taking charge of the situation. After their small whiskeys had been served, he opened up the conversation again.

"What do you want, Congressman? I've told you what you came to find out. I've answered the question you haven't asked: 'Will I try and take her away from you?' No, whatever for? I don't love her. As for her feelings for me…those are your problems and hers, not mine. I'm meeting my wife in a few minutes. We've got some stuff to take care of for the kids."

"How many kids do you have? You haven't been here all that long? Did your wife have children before you married?"

He laughed and his face showed both pride and happiness. "We picked up our kids at a refugee camp in Thailand near the border. They're all orphan 'dust bin' kids and so was Hannah so it just seemed…right to take them out of that hell hole and give them a home and parents – us."

Stuart knew the tension was gone. They were on a safe subject. They both traded stories about their kids. "So how's Sarah getting along with them? Bet she bonds better with the girl than your son. She's probably more of a big sis than a mother-substitute, right?"

"How'd you know?"

"Experience. We were close for 3 years and you learn a lot about her if you just listen to what she says and doesn't say in certain situations. I also got to see her have her first 'BFF' in my sister."

"So. Three years. And in all that time…"

"No. I never made love to her. I wanted to more than anything I'd ever wanted in my life up to that point, but it just never happened for us. Looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened. For all three of us, Congressman."

"Listen, will us being in Paris put you in jeopardy? I'm sure people will know she was CIA from the newspapers…"

"The Ring and Circus hierarchy know she was my handler and that might be 'awkward'. And I'm not sure how she would handle finding out her fumbling, bumbling and incompetent failed spy/asset was still alive and in 'deep cover'. But again, that's your problem and her's."

"Why? Because it might lead them to question her presence?" He meant the Ring and it's operatives.

"No. Someone might be tempted to right perceived wrongs." He held up his fingers and wiggled them.

"Is that a real possibility?"

"Not really but you have a right to know the possible dangers your family might face. I'd want to know."

"Well, yeah, you're right. I don't think it'll be much of a problem, her bumping into you, do you? We won't exactly be traveling in the same social circles." He sounded smug so Chuck decided to set him straight – by example.

"So, Mr. Stuart, what are you plans for dinner? We're having some friends over and I'd love for you to meet Hannah and her friends and the kids, of course."

He didn't have plans so Chuck told him that his driver would pick him up at the hotel at 6pm. Dress was casual and if he hadn't brought jeans, 'just lose the coat and tie, Mr. Stuart, and the stick up your ass'.

"Let me make sure Hannah's OK with it. Americans are not too popular in her book right now." He dialed her cell and rapidly asked her if he could bring home 'a new friend, the US ambassador designate' for dinner and did she think Carla and Nick would have any problems with it?

* * *

"OK, Congressman. We're good to go. See you about 6:30. Bring an appetite and a good attitude. Dinner's at 8pm. Henri will pick you up at your hotel." He threw some bills on the table and walked rapidly away, glad for once that eyes were on him.

'_I should have knocked that smug look right off his face and then beat the crap out of him. 'Same social circles, my ass! Typical self-absorbed politician. _

Mike Stuart breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that he'd pushed Windsor almost to the breaking point with his behavior and his glib responses to some of his questions and comments. He was sure that at several points in the conversation he had come close to finding out if the reputation Windsor had was true of not. He had his answers and now he would be on his best behavior. He had no desire to end up in the River Seine.

* * *

Chuck walked rapidly through the crowded market street to Hannah's old apartment. He'd surprised her and bought it for her, explaining that it was now their 'safe house' and that this was where they'd come when life got too stressful. He grinned when he remembered how she'd 'relieved him of his stress' last night.

He unlocked the door and entered calling out her name. "Hannah?"

"Up here, Chuck. I've got everything for dinner. Are you sure bringing him out to the Chateau is a good idea?" She was standing in the kitchen, totally naked except for 4-inch heels and a saucy smile.

He sighed and looked at his watch. "Honey, we're kind of pressed for time and I don't want to rush through this. You know I prefer to savor you rather than just grab a quickie?"

His groan and then his grin made her laugh with delight. She loved surprising him. Well, they had time for a 'quickie' and later after their guests left, they'd take time to do it right. But the excitement and stress of the 'meeting' had gotten to her.

"Chuck, get naked. I'm so damned turned on. Listening to you put that turd in his place was…damn it, Chuck! Get naked!" His declarations about how much he loved her had made her almost cry in relief.

Post-mission sex was awesome.

* * *

Chateau Almandine

When Henri picked up Michael Stuart he decided to broach a subject that was on the minds of all of what was becoming known as the 'Ringleaders'.

"So, Mr. Stuart, first you threaten Director Windsor and then you ask him personal questions and then you are surprised he's asked you to his home, no? Well, I have a question, Stuart." The tone of his last sentence made Mike's stomach suddenly clench with fear. _'Was this how Bartowski lived? How did the man stay sane?'_

"Ask away. I have nothing to hide."

"Why don't you stay in America and become governor of Virginia and leave him alone? Your woman will be nothing but trouble once she learns he still lives - trouble for you and trouble for us. She will know the truth and it will drive her to do something rash and dangerous. I think keeping her in America and becoming governor is the smart move, don't you?"

"I suppose Windsor put you up to this?" He hadn't expected the veiled threat in the little man's words but it was there, nonetheless.

"No. He will not do or allow what needs to be done. He is soft in some ways, especially about matters of the heart and honor. But his sister…she wants justice for her brother. If she ever learned that your fiancé ordered the kidnapping, well, there are many like her who believe a message should be sent…a strong and unmistakable message regarding the safety of our Director General."

"I see. Do you believe it would happen if she were to stay in the States, Henri?"

"Mr. Stuart, I can guarantee you that nothing will happen so long as she stays away from my friend, the Director. My word of honor."

The rest of the drive was made in silence. He wondered how much Charles Windsor had changed from the man Sarah Walker knew and loved. 'Governor Stuart' sounded almost as good as 'Ambassador Stuart' and there would be other opportunities in the future.

The final nail in the coffin of his 'Ambassador to France' dream was when he met 'Nick and Carla' at the Chateau. It was 'family movie night' which meant homemade Pizza and beer and relaxation.


	21. Chapter 21

18b

_**Lurkers: Make your presence known**_

* * *

Chapter 18b – Dinner and destiny

Chateau Almandine

Mike Stuart noticed the number of men standing around the car park when Henri opened the door and walked him to the Chateau entrance.

"Are these guards always here?" Security was openly apparent and alert. Was he expecting trouble?

"No, Congressman Stuart, only when the President or his wife are visiting." Let the smug bastard chew on that for a while.

Hannah met him at the door and smiled her patented 'I hate you but I have to tolerate you' smile that she'd perfected since the camps. No one knew it was false, not even Chuck.

"Thank you for inviting me into your home, Mrs. Windsor, especially under these circumstances. I'm sure Charles has told you of our meeting and purpose?"

"Yeah, and I heard everything that was said from the surveillance vehicle. You walked a fine line with my husband, Mr. Stuart, a very fine line. He likes you for some reason so that means I'll like you too, if only because he does. A word or advice?"

"I'd appreciate it." His wife was beautiful and mysterious and very dangerous. His senses were on high alert. Fine line, indeed.

"Stay in America. Don't come to France. Chuck loved your fiancé and she tore his heart out everyday they were together after he failed spy school. Don't look surprised. He told me everything…tells me everything. We have no secrets between us."

Stuart unconsciously smirked. _'I'll bet you don't know he's NSA, Hannah. He'd never reveal that to the daughter of the Director General.'_

"He even told me about his real mission after Thailand, and earlier today he told me about your part in his rescue from Cold Storage. Thank you for that. That alone guarantees _your_ safety regardless of what you decide about the ambassadorship. I honor my husband's commitments, Mr. Stuart, but some feel differently. Now, let me introduce you to Nick and Carla. Chuck's still changing."

* * *

1 hour later

Hannah had shown off her 'kids' and she and Stuart were on a first name basis. Chuck sent his apologies but was on a conference call with an important client but would be there shortly. He and Su-Fi had a ritual they went through every day and he'd been delayed because the ritual had grown from coaxing out the occasional word to halting sentences.

If Chuck had a favorite, it was Su-Fi, although he never gave her more of his time than the others needed. Sometimes he felt he needed her more than she needed him. She still rarely smiled although she would sit with him in the garden when he was brooding or thinking out a problem for hours without saying a word or needing anything. Her eyesight was gradually improving although Chuck wanted Ellie, Hannah and Su-Fi to fly to New York and consult an NSA-recommended specialist.

Pol had decided that his camp name would set him apart and so he adopted the closest name to his own, Paul. Thi struggled with the decision, finally adopting Yve because it was short and easy for her to pronounce.

They spoke together in French since that was the language of the Chateau and since they were the 'residents' now it seemed only right. Jacques had moved himself into the carriage house and was quite content, requiring only a cook to keep him happy and the occasional visit from the housemaids. He always set aside time for his grandchildren and his language lessons were a great help. He spoke the language of the camps.

Hugo had a small suite above the kitchen of the chateau. Ellie was across the hall but for all intents and purposes the two had moved in together. Chuck thought it was hilarious when Hugo had asked if he could 'woo Dr. Woodcomb' and he still chuckled when he thought about the big man being cowed by his sister whenever he stepped out of line.

Henri moved back to the village since it was easier for him to slip out and go to Rosa's from there than from the chateau. Dubois said little or nothing about it but often would catch Henri's eye at a meeting and just shake his head and mutter 'shame, shame'. Of course, Henri just laughed. To each his own.

"So, how is Charles enjoying being CEO of Circus Information Systems? It must keep him quite busy?"

"Oh, he gave that up and is just chairman of the board of directors. Since he was elected Director General he hasn't had much time for it. He delegates and reads a daily summary and has an office there but he's pretty much a 'hands-off' chairman."

'_Holy shit! Beckman never mentioned __he__ was the new Director General. Definitely going to shoot for governor. Not coming to France – ever. He's dead as far as the world is concerned and I'll do nothing to resurrect Chuck Bartowski.'_

"Now, don't let Nicholas get your goat. He's still sensitive about some things that happened the last time he was in DC. And don't bring up the internet around his wife. She'll bitch and whine for hours about her photographs…"

Hannah excused herself and went into the kitchen. Henri was eating 'his' pizza and drinking the ubiquitous glass of wine.

"Henri, don't drink too much. You have to drive Mr. Stuart back to hotel."

"It is no problem, Hannah. If I drink too much, I'll let _him_ drive." Hannah just rolled her eyes. Her father put up with his antics. Chuck put up with his antics but she was not so inclined.

"That's the last glass or Hannah's kitchen is off-limits for the rest of the month, Henri. Now, no more wine, understand? Help me carry these in. It's the least you can do since you almost made me a widow last night." She fixed him with a cold glare.

_Merde! They're __both__holding grudges!_

His just sighed and responded, "Oui, Madame Windsor," and carried the platters into the family room. He would be on his best behavior even though it had been an accident. He was just glad that the boss wore a vest, something he never did before.

* * *

Chuck finally joined the group and after eating, the conversation turned to politics and the world situation. Chuck sighed. So much for family movie night.

Chuck started to replace his gloves after eating the messy pizza but Hannah stopped him. "Chuck, they've all seen them and they're not all that bad. The nails are growing and…just leave them off, honey. I don't want you wearing them around the house."

"So, Charles, have you considered my thoughts on the independent force we discussed last month? I tell you it would be a real moneymaker as well as a welcome addition to the world scene. An answer to those 'issues' where politics restricts what needs to be done to alleviate suffering and human loss."

"Not really. I've put something down on paper, mostly equipment and manpower projections but the staffing leaves a lot of unanswered questions and I'm hardly qualified to set up such an organization. Better to let the UN handle those things. I just don't see the Circus expanding in that direction. It might be considered 'provocative' by some governments."

"You should get a staff of ex-military to offer you options, Charles. No one expects a spy to be a general." The conversation died on that comment. Chuck glared at his guest, but then reminded himself that Nicholas was more than just a 'guest'. Hannah snuck her hand into his and squeezed it, silently sending him the message 'have patience'.

"I'm hardly a spy, Nicholas, despite what the tabloids and wagging tongues would have you believe. I mean, really, just because our firm collects data and sells the analysis to interested parties does not make me the spy master they seem to believe I am."

"Well, industrial and economic espionage are 'spy' activities, aren't they? Governments do it all the time." Stuart couldn't keep his big mouth shut.

"What is being suggested is far beyond the scope of 'espionage'. We're talking about a private army that governments could 'hire' to handle issues and areas they can't normally be associated with. That's more than our charter allows. Besides, Nicholas, you have the Legion Étagère for such tasks where French interests are involved, don't you?"

"Try getting the Legion moving when the politicians don't want to be 'involved'. No, governments need a force that is 'off the books' in many instances. The UN is hamstrung because of their pitiful performances on past Peace Keeping missions. No. It must be a private force answering to no government. The Circus is the perfect firm to organize and wield such a force."

"Mercenaries. You're talking about mercenaries, aren't you?" Stuart had the usual American distaste for mercenaries. Chuck wondered if it was because of the Hessians in the British Army during the Revolution.

"Yes, Michael, exactly. A mercenary force, open for hire and use in areas requiring a stabilizing presence."

"I have to disagree with you, Mr. President, and agree with our host. The UN is the proper vehicle for such undertakings, not a bunch of hired guns willing to work for the highest bidder. Africa proves that point. And who would 'police' such a force? To whom would they be answerable? No one. Just the highest bidder."

The party broke up on that sour note despite the attempts of the two wives to steer the conversation to safer grounds. Carla had been concerned for Su-Fi's eyes and offered to see about getting her in to see 'a competent specialist in Paris'. Hannah wisely remained noncommittal since she and Chuck had had a loud conversation on just the same subject not a week before.

As Mike was leaving, he turned to Chuck with a smile. "If you should decide to develop such a force, Chuck, let me know. There are quite a few unemployed military officers running around who could prove quite valuable. Also, remember that warfare is asymmetrical and 3-dimensional. Land, sea and air. Think about it. I can be very helpful with leads without strings. I owe you for setting me straight on a lot of things I wasn't thinking clearly about. And if you or any of your family come to America, let us know. Seriously."

Chuck thanked him and grimaced. Another convert to 'peace through subtle subversion'.

* * *

Later that night

"So, Chuck, what do you think of Mike? Do you think he's going to take the ambassadorship? Will her being here bring us problems?"

"I like him. He's not taking the ambassador appointment so she won't be here to cause any problems. I love you not her. I can't say it more effectively and I wish you'd just put it out of your mind. I've never asked you about your past lovers, have I? I've told you all about my…two." He laughed but she didn't.

"OK, why the sudden drop in room temperature, Hannah Nguyen? It's true. I've told you all about them and Lou was just a couple of times, not really who you'd call a 'lover'. So what's the problem?"

"Nothing. I just hope she stays the hell on the other side of the Atlantic. I've never met her but I hate her for what she did to you. I suppose I should be grateful that she was such a bitch to you otherwise you'd have stayed on the plane and gone back to your precious Sarah Walker."

"Hannah, will you listen to yourself? She's not my 'precious' anything. You are. Now, either change the subject or I guess I'll work on that project I brought home. I'm not really tired."

"Fine, Chuck. I'm tired. Go work on your damned project." She turned on her side, her back to him.

"I thought we settled this last night or was I wrong? Didn't last night and the surveillance tapes convince you? What will it take for you to just drop it? My God, you're worse than Ellie when it comes to Walker. And by the way, that's not her real name. No one knows her real name. Wanna talk about trust issues, Hannah Nguyen? Don't you think a person in love would at least tell you her real name? Well, she didn't. She didn't even tell her damned partner."

"Why are you so upset about this if she's not still on your mind, Chuck? Why does talking about her make you so damned angry?"

"I'm angry because no matter what I say you twist it to fit your own purposes. I'm angry because we brought this argument to our bed, Hannah, and we agreed never to argue here. It's supposed to be where we make love, not wage war on one another. I'm angry because…never mind. I'm going down to my office and work on that project."

He was pissed and she knew it was her fault. She was insecure all of a sudden since the children came on the scene. She was terrified that he'd ask her about her camp experiences once he learned what the kids had been through. She knew he didn't love the Walker woman. He loved only her but she was afraid he'd ask her 'personal' questions and she wouldn't be able to lie to him. And he wouldn't want to be with her any longer. It had been that bad.

* * *

Chuck sat in Jacques' old office. He'd kept the furniture but added some modern items such as a scanner, computer and STU-3 phone. The scramble phone was a necessary item nowadays. He used it now.

"Beckman, secure, Director General. Is there a problem?" He normally reported through Casey and Forrest, and rarely contacted her directly.

"Go to STU-3, please, General." This conversation was of critical importance and not a 'shared item' with anyone else.

"OK, Chuck. What's the problem?" She'd grown very informal with him during the past few months. What he was doing was incredibly difficult but rewarding.

"I've been approached by the president of France to establish a mercenary force to 'use when politically expedient'. He brought this up in the presence of Michael Stuart who was a dinner guest in our home along with Nicholas and Carla. Hannah was also in attendance. I left Mike with the impression that it was a 'no go' item for the Circus."

"OK, so what? Stuart can be trusted. He's going to be the next ambassador to France but I'm sure you knew that already."

"No, he's not. He's going to run for governor of Virginia. He thinks Walker will try and rekindle something that burned out long ago despite my assurances that it would never happen. General, how does he know Walker ordered the kidnapping and then personally put me in Cold Storage after reviewing the interrogation reports?"

"He's been a valuable ally and I wanted him prepared for meeting with you. He didn't tell you that Walker put you in the Hole? He's the one who told me."

"Curious. Anyway, that's all unimportant. They're staying on your side of the puddle so it's a no-brainer. What about the merc force? Any ideas?"

"How big a force and what are their probable missions?" She knew the French were conniving and deceitful but this was…something she wished she'd thought of.

"Don't have a clue, General. It was 'hey, Chuck, Mercs-R-Us is having a used merc sale. Buy some and we'll send you some business'. Stuart reminded me that he had 'connections' and that warfare was 3-dimensional and asymmetrical. I had to look that one up. He also offered to put me in contact with some unemployed military people."

"He did, did he? Well, I suppose he does have contacts. What do you think?"

"I think it's too much, too soon and insufficiently thought-out. I thought the UN Peacekeepers were supposed to do that."

Beckman snorted in derision. "Those powder-blue-boys can't grab their collective asses with both hands. No. It's an excellent idea and you should give it some thought. I'll send Colonel Casey a suggestion list for you to review."

"Good. Anything on your side to report?"

"Daniel Shaw was spotted in Lisbon last week in the company of some slime he used to keep track of. He's not dead. He's going by the name of Silas Thorne. Walker blew her assignment. She reported him dead but apparently he lived. She should have made sure before reporting his death. You know he has a few 'unofficial' sleeper cells in Paris and elsewhere throughout Europe. Some of them may have infiltrated the Ring organization."

Silence.

"Chuck, are you still there?"

"Her…assignment was to kill her boyfriend? Jesus, I forgot about how you people really work. Well, if I see him I'll tell him you said 'hello', General. He and I have no axe to grind. Good night."

He hung up and shook his head. Daniel Shaw was alive. He was almost happy that the infallible Walker blew something other than her marks. He was immediately ashamed of his thought. She was better than that, surely?

* * *

He pushed 'Daniel & Sarah' out of his mind and turned his attention fully to his project. He hadn't been totally 'forthcoming' with the General. After all, he was the Director General of the Ring and technically outranked her. He laughed for the first time that day and resumed his studying.

They would need airlift, TAC air and probably some heavy stuff. He turned inward and 'asked' the intersect for some suggestions given specific criteria and received only one recommendation.

SA 330 Puma Helicopter

Crew: 3

Armament: Guns: Coaxial 7.62 mm (0.30 in) ; Cannon: side-firing 20mm (0.787 in)

**Capacity:** 16 passengers

**Length:** 18.15 m (59 ft 6½ in)

**Rotor diameter:** 15.00 m (49 ft 2½ in)

**Height:** 5.14 m (16 ft 10½ in)

**Disc area:** 177.0 m² (1,905 ft²)

**Empty weight:** 3,536 kg (7,795 lb)

**Never exceed speed:** 273 km/h (147 knots, 169 mph)

**Maximum speed:** 257 km/h (138 knots, 159 mph)

**Cruise speed:** 248 km/h (134 knots, 154 mph) econ cruise

**Range:** 580 km (313 nm, 360 mi)

**Service ceiling:** 4,800 m (15,750 ft)

**Rate of climb:** 7.1 m/s (1,400 ft/min)

He was tired and had a massive flash-induced headache. Chuck added the information from the flash to his Organizational Table and then he laid down on the couch in his office and pulled an afghan over him and slept. He would deal with Hannah and the world tomorrow.


	22. Chapter 22

ChuckParis19

Chapter 19: An Axe to Grind

He woke up earlier than usual and felt a moment's disorientation. Why wasn't he in his own bed? He cracked open one eye and saw his office lit only by the glow of his computer monitor. It all came rushing back. Hannah had picked a fight and he'd gone to the office to work on a project and just crashed on the couch.

'_She's been on edge since Thailand. Maybe killing that woman was cleansing to her soul but maybe it was bothering her on another level? Maybe the whole camp thing brought back memories and she's having trouble coping?' _

He had a sudden insight and an idea_._ He grabbed his cell and started to call his shrink, the NSA agent, but remembered the time. Best to let her sleep. A pissy Alex was a negative agent and an uncooperative one to boot.

He walked out into the garden and cut across the verandah to slip into the kitchen. There were quite a few raised eyebrows at his appearance and entrance but he found what he wanted – her father's undelivered breakfast.

He told the cook he'd take care of it and scooted out the door before she could offer any objections. He needed some 'alone time' with Jacques. Breakfast would be his key.

* * *

Carriage House

"OK, Chuck. You don't normally bring me breakfast. What's on your mind?"

"Business first. France wants us to establish a merc force to handle things their army or the Legion can't. I imagine it would be very lucrative but I know squat about the military. Nicholas brought it up in front of a US Congressman who has been nominated to be ambassador to France. Publicly he supported the UN option, as I did, but as he was leaving he told me he could hook me up with men and equipment if I 'changed my mind'."

"It is an idea we kicked around years ago but abandoned when the unity of our regions began to weaken. No one trusted the other not to use the force for regional or even personal gain."

"So you think it's viable? Like I said, I know squat about the military although I've got a wish list a yard long. I'll drop it by for your comments."

"It's worth studying. Why not let Hugo take a crack at it? Now, the personal questions, Chuck? Are you and Hannah still having problems?"

"She's having problems, not me. I just leave like she tells me. Last night, she started in on my old handler who, incidentally, is engaged to Stuart, the congressman. We had him over to dinner to square him away and he won't be coming back to France. However, Hannah seems to think I want to be with Walker when nothing could be further from the truth. What the hell is wrong with her?"

"She's obviously jealous, Chuck. You…"

"No. She's not jealous. She would have been jealous two years ago when she was still hanging around Paris. No, this is all recent. In fact, just since we got married. Jacques, I take my wedding vows seriously. I never break my word. She knows that. But since we got married and came back from Thailand it's like she's another person."

"Have you asked her about her life in the camp? Have you dredged up memories with your questions?"

"What questions? I've never asked her about her experiences with her mother in the refugee camp for just that very reason. I don't want her reliving those horrible years. We never should have gone to Thailand. We should have gone to Majorca or the Canaries or even the Bahamas but no. She wanted Thailand and a trip to show me her 'roots'. Since then she's been like a different person, picking fights, taking arguments to bed, obsessing over Walker."

"Maybe you should ask her what's bothering her. Isn't that all the rage now, being open and totally honest with your partner?"

"Jacques, if she wants me to know about her time in the camp I figure she'll tell me. It never came up before. She never mentioned her childhood at all except when we first met, and nothing until we came back here from Thailand and then she focused on the kids and her fear that I'll leave her for Walker."

"Would you go be with the CIA agent if there were no consequences?" He asked the same question a different way.

"Nope. No desire at all to experience all that drama again. The only woman in my life in Hannah. Now, old man with decades of experience, give me some advice. I'm dying here, Jacques. She's driving me nuts over a fixation she has on Walker."

"Ask her why this woman is suddenly a threat to her after two year's time? Ask her why what you've said and done is not enough. Ask her, Charles, and don't take no for an answer."

"That's good advice. I'll do it right now. I'm also thinking maybe we both should see the therapist I got after the whole infertility thing. She helped a lot."

"Just be careful. She's not as tough as she looks, Chuck."

"You wouldn't say that if you'd seen her in Thailand. She was a tigress!"

* * *

Arlington, VA

Sarah Walker and Megan Stuart were shopping for last minute school supplies at the huge mall that was open 24-hours a day. She loved doing it and didn't begrudge Megan a second of her time. No one had ever taken the time to help her, guide her or correct her fashion errors until she joined the CIA.

"So, Sarah, are you excited about next month? The wedding, the honeymoon…" Megan was a typical teenager with an imagination to match her raging hormones.

"Yeah, I am. The closer it gets the more nervous I get. How about you, Maid of Honor?" It was an easy decision. Ellie had disappeared a few months after Chuck died and she had no one else to ask. Carina was definitely out and she had no other friends. Everyone associated with the Intersect project had gone to ground, disappeared or been reassigned to deep cover. She'd heard that Casey was 'legit' in Paris with Forrester as his undercover partner. Everything seemed to fall apart in Paris.

"Your dad's frantic over the guest list. He faxed me a few additional names to consider inviting. Some people he met in Paris and will have business dealings with in the future."

"Um, Sarah, do you really want to get married? You don't seem all that thrilled with marrying my dad. He loves you so much and you just seem to treat him like a friend 'with benefits'." She also had a way of cutting through to the heart of any discussion. Sarah found this refreshing as long as it didn't include her in the topic.

"Yes, of course. What makes you say such a thing? Friends don't get married Megan. People in love get married." She wanted off this topic without further stirring Megan's imaginary pot. Of course she wanted to get married. They'd been living together and it was only natural to make it 'legal'.

"Okay. I can take a hint. Just don't hurt him, please? He really loves you and losing you on top of mom, well, I don't know how he'll handle it."

"Megan Stuart, you listen to me. I love your father. We're getting married and I'm hoping we can add another Stuart to the family. Does that put your mind at ease?"

"Ewww, parental sex! Yuck!" They both laughed and Sarah breathed a sigh of relief accompanied by a moment of clarity. _'I really do love Mike. Really, I really do.'_ She smiled and spotted the GAP and headed that way.

* * *

Chateau Almandine

He walked up to their suite of rooms but she'd already gotten up and probably was down with the kids getting them organized for the day. Su-Fi had to go into Paris for an ophthalmic exam. Hannah and Ellie had made the appointment and he'd learned of it well after the fact. That pissed him off. She was his daughter, too, and he expected to be included in the decisions of parenting.

No matter where he went she was always one step ahead of him. He finally resorted to calling her on her cell phone.

"Hannah, we need to talk. I know you and my sister the neb are taking Su-Fi in for an exam but I wanted to talk to you before…"

"Say what you have to say, Chuck. We're late and I have get going if we're going to make our appointment." She didn't want to speak with him until she'd sorted out what she had to say. She would tell him everything and hoped he still loved her as much as he had before they married. But not here, not on the phone, and not in their bed. It had to be neutral ground like a hotel.

"Perhaps **I** should make an appointment. Who is your social secretary these days, Ms. Nguyen? I'll just ask her to pencil your husband in when you have a few free minutes."

He hung up the phone hating that cell phones did not allow the satisfaction of slamming the handset into the receiver.

* * *

"How long are you going to avoid him? Honestly! You're treating him exactly like Walker did when he came back from Europe. You keep screwing around with him and you'll find yourself on the shelf with the rest of the women who hurt him. And it's getting damned crowded up there."

Ellie got out of the car and stormed off muttering curses and waving her hands in the air. _'Jesus, Chuck must be nuts to put up with her shit.'_ She walked into the kitchen in search of Hugo. She needed a hug.

'_Well, it looks like I get to go to Paris with Su-Fi alone. We'll turn it into a shopping day after her appointment. There's still a lot she needs.'_

Hannah motioned Henri to 'get a move on' and sat back and began reviewing vocabulary words with Su-Fi. It wouldn't be long before she would be reading as well as any other 8-year old. All they had to do was continue the vitamin supplements and get a prescription for her corrective lenses today.

Just as the Bentley entered the main road from the Chateau drive a delivery van parked on the shoulder of the road suddenly pulled out in front of the car, blocking the road.

Henri fumbled with his H&K submachine gun on seat beside him, yelling at Hannah and Su-Fi to get down on the floor of the car. He pushed the GPS panic switch and pushed open the door but it was too late. Three men grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground and disarmed him and secured him with zip ties and then pulled a kicking and screaming Hannah and Su-Fi out of the car and carried them to a car parked in front of the delivery van.

Daniel Shaw walked over to where Henri was struggling to sit up. "Oh, don't get up on my account, Henri Bouchard." He laughed and fired a single round into Henri's leg. He threw a cell phone onto his lap and said, "Tell Director General Dubois that I'll be in touch. He owes me and now it's payday."

He turned and joined his other associates in the waiting car. They were going to go to the last place anyone would look for them.

* * *

Chateau Almandine

The klaxon alarm sounded throughout the buildings and grounds of the Chateau complex. A security officer found Chuck in his office and briefed him on the situation. The alarm on the Bentley carrying his wife and daughter to Paris had been triggered and a reaction team was already on the move. He was needed at the scene.

Five minutes later a weeping Henri had described what had happened. "They took them and gave me this cell phone and said they would be 'in touch'. I know the man who led them. He was a Ring deep cover operative in the CIA named Silas Thorne. I don't know his cover name. He is seriously disturbed. The Director General cut him loose after his intel led us into many ambushes and we lost many operatives. He has them, Chuck. I'm sorry. I couldn't do anything. It happened too quickly."

"Take him to the dispensary at the Chateau. I'll want a small team ready to fly out at a moment's notice. All we can do now is wait until they contact us. I'll be at the Carriage House with the Director." Chuck was not looking forward to the discussion with Jacques.

Carriage House

"Damn him! I should have had him shot when I saw his photo when you first came to us. He's Silas Thorne and he uses his CIA cover name Daniel Shaw in most cases. He turned on us, became lost in his cover and betrayed several teams to the Combine."

"Why didn't you? You should have. Why didn't you?"

"Because I wanted to believe that you were what you said you were. I underestimated him. I provided the CIA with his location in Austria but they botched the assassination. I'm sorry, Chuck, I should have taken him out and just hoped you were being honest with us. You are and always have been a trusted operative. Now I'll lose my daughter and granddaughter because I did not do what I knew I should have. I'm sorry."

The cell phone rang and Jacques reached for it but Chuck slapped his hand away and answered, putting it on speaker phone.

"This is Bartowski, Shaw, or should I say Thorne? You have some people and I want them back. You have 1 hour to contact me with a location and I'll send a team to pick them up. You'll have 24 hours to leave France and disappear. I'll even sweeten the pot and provide a little nest egg to see you well into your retirement – provided not a single cell has been disturbed on either of them, understand?"

"B – Bartowski? You're dead! I had you killed! Well, this is a surprise, Chuck! I see you were successful in your mission? And now this makes this even sweeter. Life is _good_, isn't it, Chuckles?"

"Yes, very successful. Yeah, and up until this moment life has been very good and satisfying. I'm now the Ring's Director General so what I say goes, understand? I can make promises and you'll know they'll be kept."

"And why should I believe you? You're a professional liar; we all are. Is Sarah there? She's part of the ransom now, Chuck. I owe her for so many things. Did you know she killed my wife, Eve? Did you know she found me in Austria and almost killed me? Bring her and 10,000,000 Euros to a location we'll announce later and I'll swap you the two half-breeds for Walker and the money."

"Can't do that, Shaw. She's out of the Agency, married and no one can find her. I know, I tried, so it's just the money for the two. I can't deliver Walker. No one can."

"That's too bad. I believe you, Chuck. I'd forgotten you were the straight-arrow boy scout of the agency. Too bad, though. Half the ransom demand means you only get one of the hostages back. Choose which one you want and I'll accept the money and release her. The other one…so sad."

"What? I'll double the money. Don't…"

|BANG|

"Oops! Sorry about that, Chuck. So, bring the money to the Café Lafayette at 11pm this evening. You'll be directed from there. Again, sorry 'bout that. My trigger finger slipped." He hung up, laughing hysterically.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Nope, not posting from the Great Beyond. SHE got a ton of PMs from readers and opened the account again so here it is.

1. I dumped all the split charah/channah chapters into the round file. It continues on - in other words, no dream sequence. Only fair since according to his A/Ns, Channah won fair and square by the deadline.

2. There are three chapters and an epilogue. The epilogue serves two purposes and one of them is none of your damned business.

3. Don't care if you review it or not. This is a matter of personal obligation.

For APR and HER.

OM

* * *

Chickens come home to roost

Chuck pinched the bridge of his nose viciously to stifle any tears. There would be time for tears later after he'd killed Daniel Shaw and anyone associated with the murder of his loved one.

"Jacques, I'm going outside for assistance on this. We don't know who we can trust but there is one who can be relied upon to be discreet and very, very violent."

"What about your Sacramento team, Chuck? Surely…"

"Do you think it's mere coincidence that Shaw and his snatch team just happened to be waiting this morning, the one morning they were going to Paris for the eye appointment? I don't."

He walked out into the garden and dialed John Casey.

"Hey, to what do I owe the honor?" He hadn't heard from Chuck much since the wedding and he'd missed an appointment with Alex so he welcomed the call.

"I need a partner for a high-impact infiltration. Pull the file you have on Hannah's old apartment. Daniel Shaw kidnapped Hannah and Su-Fi this morning right outside the Chateau gates. He kneecapped the driver and gave him a cellphone. I took the call and he wanted 10 million Euros and Sarah Walker. Obviously I couldn't give him Walker so he set up a meeting place and time and then shot one of my girls. He didn't need two 'half-breeds' and the ransom was for both and since…and since I couldn't pony up Walker he said only one…shit. Can you help me, Casey? Please? I got no one here I can trust. I figure he's using our old apartment as his base. He talked about 'where it all started'."

"You got it. Alex and I will be back in contact. I'll have her recce the apartment since she's a new face and unlikely to be recognized. We'll get her back. We'll talk more when we get the recon done. Hang in there, Chuck. We'll get her back."

"Thanks. He wants to meet where you shot me. Bastard has a sense of 'a Great Cycle'. He's insane but he's a walking dead man, John. I'll wait for your call. Call Beckman and brief her, John. She needs to OK your involvement plus she should send security for the congressman's family."

* * *

Casey walked down the hall to Forrest's office and briefed her. They left for the apartment site ten minutes later. Casey stayed in the car and Alex walked the two blocks to the apartment and noted the two men sitting and reading a paper and listening to a small radio. Amateurs.

She wandered through the market and bought some oranges and a bouquet of flowers for their dining room table and then ambled back to the car.

"Johnny, there are two guys out front. There's no rear entrance so figure Shaw and at least three inside. There's also a chair and table on the 3rd floor balcony and the French doors leading to the smaller bedroom were open but the blinds were closed. I think someone will be there in the evening to keep over watch on the streets as dark sets in."

"I want you on the roof across the street with a sniper rifle. I want the guy on the balcony neutralized as well as the two street watchers. I need to talk to Chuck about the furniture arrangements. I figure two guys on the first floor and Shaw and the watcher on the third floor with the surviving hostage."

He told her exactly what Chuck had said and Alex knew that Chuck was going through Hell right now and would need some serious down time as well as being able to talk to a neutral authority – her. She just hoped she was up to the task.

Casey called Beckman and repeated what he knew and said that Chuck wanted the Stuart family in protective custody and Beckman readily agreed and told him it would be done within the hour.

* * *

Chateau Almandine

"Chuck, I should go with you tonight. I'm your second and by God I have a right…"

"I only trust you and the director now, Hugo. We have a rat here and I need you to make sure this isn't an attempt to get to Jacques. Shaw is experienced and devious and insane and I need someone I can trust implicitly to watch over what's left of my family. Please, Hugo, I need someone I can trust."

"OK, I've got your back but this NSA pussy better be up to the task."

"Oh, he's more than up to the task. I think you and he could be friends once you both got over being assholes. I told you, Hugo, no bugs in the limo when I met with Stuart but no…you just had to…"

"Chuck, I didn't bug the limo. You told me not to and after the parking garage incident there's no way in hell I would have crossed you."

"Then that's where you start looking for our rat. Now, watch my kids and sister and keep the director engaged and busy. This stress is killing him. His tremors are worse than before and the meds don't seem to be working much. Keep him engaged, busy, and near the kids. They seem to bring out his inner strength and they'll need to see their grandfather sure and confident."

Chuck's Mercedes roared off into the late morning leaving an angry and worried Hugo Panzer in his wake. Hugo turned and summoned the immediate security detachment, issued orders and then went in to find Ellie and round up Paul and Yve and try to explain why their father was going to rescue their surviving sister or mother. Damn, he had no idea how to do it. Maybe Ellie could handle that?

* * *

Stuart/Walker Residence  
Arlington, VA

Sarah rolled over and reached across Mike for his cell phone that was on the nightstand. He'd flown in late and they'd just gotten to sleep after a very satisfying reunion of sorts.

When she'd greeted him at the airport and had seen how tired and worried he looked she immediately went into 'protective mode' and that included reassuring him of his family's love.

"Oh, Mike, I missed you and…and…and I love you, Mike, more than I can say. I'm not good at saying it but it's real and I can't wait to marry you!"

The fatigue seemed to slough off his face and the smile he gave her would have won him elections. The kiss wasn't bad either.

Later

Her voice husky from sleep, she answered his phone. "Hello? This is Sarah. Mike's asleep. He flew in late from Paris. Can I help you or take a message?" She'd almost answered the phone using CIA voice protocol but almost laughed when she realized answering the phone 'Walker, nonsecure' would have been a lie. She was feeling very secure and loved.

Chuck almost dropped his cell phone in surprise and shock. He recovered quickly and adopted a very credible French-accented English and asked for Michael Stuart. "Please, it is a matter of grave importance to the ambassador-designate."

"Mike, sweetie, wake up. It's someone, a Frenchman, from Paris asking for the 'ambassador-designate'. Take the call. I'll make coffee and then we _will_ have a talk, OK, baby?" She handed him the phone, slipped out of bed and into a robe. Being naked around Jeb was a no-no.

"This is Michael Stuart."

"Mike, Chuck. You got a problem. Tell Sarah that Daniel Shaw is alive and on the hunt. He's killed…Mike, he snatched Hannah and Su-Fi and he killed one of them when I wouldn't tell him Sarah's location. NSA should be at your door shortly. Go with them. Take you family and go into custody until I can get this resolved."

"Wait, Chuck, Su-Fi and Hannah, dead? Oh my God, Chuck, what can I do to help?"

"Uh, don't tell her about me being alive, Mike, please. I can't handle losing my girls and having her badgering me about shit, please? Just keep your family safe, Mike. I'll do everything I can to kill this scumbag. You won't hear from me again. General Beckman is taking over."

"Wait, Windsor, don't hang…"

"Stay safe. Don't need any more guilt. Marry her and take care of your family. I have to go. We're about ready to kick off the op. NSA will be there shortly."

Chuck hung up, not wanting to risk additional conversation. He knew Walker was sitting right there, absorbing Mike's side of the conversation. He was meeting Casey at the embassy in a few minutes.

Sarah was standing in the doorway with a shocked look on her face. She'd come back to get dressed more appropriately since Jeb and Megan would be getting up for the day anytime now. She'd caught the last few sentences her fiancé had said and had seen the distraught look on his face and started calculating odds and options.

Mike disconnected and threw his cell phone across the bedroom in fury.

"Shit!"

"Mike, who are Sophie and Hannah and who is Windsor and why are you so damned upset? And what's with this 'ambassador-designate crap?"

"Sarah, Windsor is a deep-cover operative in France. He's incredibly talented and he's infiltrated the Ring until he's the head of all but the Far Eastern region. He's the Director General. Now, I'm supposed to give you a message and some instructions. 'Daniel Shaw is alive and on the hunt'. I don't know what it means to you but…"

"Oh, shit. Mike, wake the kids and get them dressed. Throw some clothes in a bag for each of them. We need to…"

"Honey, Windsor said he already alerted the NSA to send in a security unit and we're safe. Beckman is coordinating things on this side of the puddle. Windsor's hunting down Shaw. He killed his wife and daughter when…" He stopped. He'd already said entirely too much and was kicking his ass for letting his mouth run away with him.

"Oh, my God, the poor man! Why? Why wouldn't he just pay the ransom? That's stupid!"

"Stop it, Sarah! You have no idea…" He stopped to gather his thoughts. He owed Bartowski big-time. He owed him the rest of his life.

"You – _YOU_ were part of the ransom and when he said he didn't know where you were and that you were out of the business this Shaw guy shot his wife and daughter. I met them in Paris a few days ago. They were totally devoted to one another and he lived for his kids. He had three and one's a teenager. His wife…"

"How does this guy know about me? And why would he lie for me and risk his wife and kid? What aren't you telling me, Mike? And when did you get so buddy-buddy with the Ring Director General? How long have you known Dubois?" She had hundreds of questions, each one seemingly more important than the other.

He told her a sanitized version of meeting 'Dubois' in Paris and then going to their home for dinner – pizza – and meeting the president of France and his wife who seemed to be frequent visitors to the Chateau.

Sarah filled in blanks left in the story with the wrong information and totally misread the situation – to Mike's relief.

"So Windsor is an American agent who has worked his way up to the Director General's position in the Ring? Is that why Ring activity has dropped off so much? My God, what a coup for Beckman. The top dog at the Ring is her man. That's incredible. But how am I involved?"

"Shaw and this guy have a bad history and Shaw knew this guy was a mole and used to work with you years ago – in South America, I think it was – and he figured Windsor would know where you were since you were so…involved."

"Larkin! You're talking about Bryce Larkin? But he's dead! I saw the body. Larkin's alive? Oh, my God. That's incredible. We saw him die. How…wait, he can't have a teenager when he'd be only 34?"

"Sarah, I don't know. I just know what this Windsor guy told me. He's very loyal to his partners, current and former, and he's working right now with some NSA guy to take out Shaw and his cell. We should be OK here. Beckman's handling it. He's going dark and leaving it all behind once the op is over."

"OK, now, what's this about the 'ambassador-designate?" It was going to be a long day for Mike Stuart. There would be more questions regarding who he'd met in Paris and she hoped to get some specifics out of him and then touch base with the one person she knew she could trust – John Casey.

* * *

US Embassy  
Paris

They were looking at a crudely-drawn floor plan of the apartment and a map of the block.

"We go in through the front door. Alex will already have neutralized the two men on the street and the balcony guy if he's sitting out there. We go up the stairs to the 2nd floor and clear it and then on to the 3rd floor. Alex will have over watch and make sure we don't get a surprise if anyone else shows up."

"What happens if something alerts the guy on the 3rd floor and he shoots the hostage, Casey? No. You go in through the front door and I'll go over the roofs from this building here to the mansard roof overlooking the balcony and I'll fast rope down onto the balcony and go in through the French doors. They won't be expecting that."

"OK, good point. We'll do it that way. Alex, sign out a sniper rifle with infrared and NV capabilities. You can scan the building for body heat and give us a heads up if anyone comes calling after we're in."

10pm

It was raining, a light summer shower that would cut the dust and pollution from the air and disappear as quickly as it came up. Alex sighted in on the first guard standing to the left of the door and took him out. Switching quickly to the other man who was coming to his partner's aid, she fired twice and watched as he fell, suddenly boneless, across the threshold of the apartment door. She snickered to herself and then switched her sight to the 3rd floor balcony. Her infrared scope showed it was clear and that Chuck was swinging over the side and fast-roping down to the balcony.

The balcony guard stepped through the French door just as Chuck landed on the balcony. Neither was prepared to attack and for a full second neither moved. The guard reached into his coat for his pistol and Chuck lifted the silencer-equipped 9mm and shot him in the chest and head. He hadn't been wearing a vest. Fucking amateurs.

He pivoted and waved to Alex and then ducked into the spare bedroom that Hannah had used as a studio. Memories assailed him and he almost missed seeing the man come out of the bathroom tucking himself away. He fired once and the man sighed and dropped into a heap. His radio buzzed in his ear but he couldn't figure out what was said and he was suddenly too busy to worry about it.

Across the street Alex was frantically trying to contact Chuck to warn him that two or three heat signatures were making their way up to the 3rd floor but he wasn't responding to his comm. Either he was the slowly cooling heat signature on the floor or his comm was screwed.

Two more men were trudging up the steps followed by another judging from the noise. He stooped down and leaned against the wall and took aim at the first of the pair, waiting until he took a step into the bedroom and turned and then he fired, dropping him.

The second man was much more alert and experienced than the first and he dropped down and did a shoulder roll into the room and away from where he saw the flash of the silenced pistol and took several shots at where he figured the unseen assailant was. He got lucky and one hit Chuck in the vest and the other nicked his temple just at the hairline , not deep and hardly noticeable in the heat of the moment.

Chuck fired three shots and then another and it was quiet. The man on the steps had continued on until he saw the muzzle flashes from Chuck's pistol. He reached in and flipped on the light, blinding Chuck who was using NVGs.

He tore the goggles off but the damage was done. His night vision was in ruin and it would be precious seconds before he could see much. His opponent, however…

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Look, little girl, it's a ninja…no, it's a…Chuck…yeah, a Chuck. Get up, Bartowski. Don't try anything. If you reach for that fancy MP5, I'll blow her brains out."

Shaw kept his pistol aimed at Chuck's heart. Chuck's MP5SD hung from the D-ring on his vest. He stepped over the body of one of Shaw's men and slowly drew closer to Shaw. All he could see was a blurred outline of dark. He got careless and sloppy and forgot to take off his night vision goggles and now he'd pay for his loss of focus.

"Stop right there, Bartowski. Don't come any closer. You've come higher, farther and faster than anyone could imagine in the Ring. Surely you don't want to throw it all away over a piece of ass and a brat you hardly know?"

"You killed the only reason I had to get up in the morning and drag my worthless ass through the day. Do you know why I got off the plane in Paris? It was because I fell in love with Hannah the instant I saw her. It was like…coming home. The infiltration mission never entered into my decision. It was only after you had Casey shoot me that I realized I could have the woman of my dreams and make the mission, not a second before. It was always about Hannah."

"That's touching, very touching. But if you want to keep the little one alive, you'll turn over the money and the current location of Sarah Walker. Otherwise, I'll…"

"Walker's responsible for both our wives being taken from us. Why are you punishing me for something I had nothing to do with?" He was trying to buy time and figure out how to kill Shaw and not injure Su-Fi.

"You're wasting time, Bartowski, time you don't really have anymore. I want the money. Walker will be found eventually and I'll kill her and her family just like I'm going to take out yours. Just think of the irony. Now, hand over the money."

"No. There is no money, not now. You blew it with your 'oops, my finger slipped'. You should have killed the kid. You want to know irony, Shaw? If Walker had been anywhere near here, you'd have had your money and her to do with as you pleased. I'd have given her over to you in a heartbeat to save my Hannah."

"Y'know, I really believe you would have. Well, too bad."

"Yeah. Beckman's going to regret not seeing this."

Shaw was puzzled. "Seeing what?"

"She's going to miss seeing John Casey put a 9mm in your fucking head." He dove at Shaw and grabbed Su-Fi and fell to the floor, covering her with his body as Shaw whirled around to find a grinning John Casey standing three feet away pointing a pistol at his forehead.

"Goodbye, asshole!" The bullet left the barrel, traveled the short distance to Shaw and entered his forehead and then exited the back of his head and lodged in the wall beside the shattered balcony window. The back of his head exploded and sprayed the room with gore. His dead body staggered back and tripped and fell over Chuck and Su-Fi.

"God, but that felt so good. One less asshole and traitor on the planet. Is Su-Fi alright, Chuck?"

"Yeah. Casey, Shaw killed Hannah. I need to find her body, John." He got to his knees and pulled Su-Fi into a tight hug. "It's just us now, Su-Fi, you, me, Paul and Yve, but we'll be alright eventually. Let's go home. I want Aunt Ellie to check you out and then…I don't know. I'll wait for someone to find her and then we'll bury her. Ah, shit!" He couldn't help it.

Casey bent and picked up Su-Fi. "Let's give your Dad a couple of minutes alone, kid. I'm John Casey and your Dad and I are friends. Let's go downstairs and…"

He stopped when he heard a rhythmic thumping against the closet door. He set Su-Fi down and whispered for her to go back to her dad. He advanced across the room and jerked open the closet door and jumped back when Hannah's body fell out on to the floor. She been gagged with a rag and then duct tape. She'd been zip-tied and stuffed in the bottom of the closet like some afterthought.

He got the duct tape loose from her face and pulled out the rag. He cut her ties and removed the crude blindfold and introduced himself.

"I'm John Casey from the American embassy. Chuck and I are old friends and he needed some backup for your rescue. Hannah, he's pretty shaken up. He thought one of you was dead and he came to rescue the other one. He's…oh, hell, go to him, Hannah. Settle him down. We're still not out of the woods yet."

"I heard everything, Mr. Casey, everything. He'll be OK. He's tough and he'll bounce right back. Let's get the hell out of here. We've got friends who will help us out." She wasn't sure if Casey knew about Chuck's 'other job'. Most embassy people knew he was CEO or Chairman of Circus Information Systems, not the boss of the Ring.

Casey handed her his cell and said 'call someone. We need backup. It was just the three of us but we got it done'.

She called her father. "Papa, it's Hannah and we're all OK. Chuck and Mr. Casey rescued us. Papa, we're at my old apartment and I need cleaners and backup. Send Hugo with the Sacramento team until Chuck takes over again. He's…very upset right now. He thought Thorne had killed one of us and when he saw Su-Fi, well, he was going to take Thorne out no matter what it cost. I heard the whole thing, Papa, from the closet. Send Hugo and tell him 'no questions', OK?" She hung up.

"There will be an action team here in about 20 minutes. They're totally trustworthy and they will keep their mouths shut about everything they hear or see. They're Chuck's personal team. They've been together since Sacramento when they…".

Casey held up a hand telling her to stop. No one needed to rehash Sacramento.

"I know all about that. Go talk to him, Hannah. He thought you were dead. If your kid hadn't been here I don't know what would have happened. He took out most of Shaw's guys before I could clear the first floor. Go ahead. I'll wait downstairs for the relief team."

He bent down and scooped Su-Fi up and sat her piggyback. "Let's go, kid. Watch your head for low beams. Hannah, we'll wait outside. I want her to meet Alexandra, my fiancé, also my sniper. She's really good with kids. She's a therapist. She and Chuck…"

"Yeah, Mr. Casey, I know about it. It's all right. We'll be down as soon as he's ready."

She watched Casey take Su-Fi downstairs and then went to her husband. He seemed almost to be in a trance and was just staring out at the balcony with it's ruined French doors.

She took his hands in hers and put them on either side of her face and leaned in and kissed him softly. "Hey, Chuck, you did good. You saved us and we're all OK. C'mon, honey, help me out here. I can't do this all alone, Chuck. And I was so afraid." She started to cry, great sobs that left her gasping for breath.

"Shhh, don't cry. Let's go get Su-Fi and go home. I'm so tired and it's been a long day. We'll take all the time we need to work out these issues you have with my past, Hannah. We'll take as long as you need."

"Chuck, I heard every word you said to that scumbag. Every word. I was never jealous of the Walker woman. I used her to keep you away from asking questions about what happened to me in the camp. She was just a way to keep you off the subject and it was stupid and I'm sorry. I should have told you before we got married. Long before then."

"We'll talk about this later, Hannah, much later. Let's get Casey squared away and then get this place cleaned up. I want this place sanitized, the furniture replaced, everything. Nothing will remain to remind me of this. Help me up. I'm suddenly exhausted."

"Chuck, you're bleeding, honey. Oh, my, another scar to add to your collection?" She sniffled and tried to make light of it but another inch to the left and he'd have been killed.

His earpiece squawked and he took it out and dropped it on the floor. "Damned thing is useless. I can't hear worth a shit anymore. Let's go home, Hannah. I need a drink and a bath and you and the kids need to spend some time together with your dad. He was really scared, Hannah, God, we all were."


	24. Chapter 24

Some time shifts but nothing that ruins the continuity if you aren't sharp enough to catch them.

Note to those who STILL ask "Is it Charah". NO NO NO.

Read the A/Ns in the last chapter. No wonder he never finished some of his stuff. Too busy trying to figure out how to make people understand his intent.

* * *

As Normal as it can get

Chateau Almandine

Life goes on and so did Chuck's. Hannah settled down and began regular sessions with Alexandra who came out to the Chateau. Casey frequently accompanied her and his presence soon lost its novelty. Hugo had been extremely wary of him at first but Chuck was right, they did become 'friends' of a sort. They especially bonded over their varying relationships with the 'Moron' and the 'Director General'.

Chuck was very happy to turn over the Merc Force design to the older men. Jacques, Casey and Hugo would hole up in the Carriage House for hours over whiskey and plans. Jacques welcomed feeling useful again and Casey found he was becoming more relaxed dealing with 'things' instead of people. Their plans were ambitious and impractical at first but as they worked at each facet, each one's individual expertise balanced the others.

Right before Christmas, the kids and Hannah and Ellie returned from one of the many doctors' appointments with startling news. They had seriously misjudged the kids' ages based upon their own Western standards and normal growth charts. They weren't 'kids' at all. Paul was closer to 17 as was Yve and Su-Fi had been so malnourished for so long that her entry into puberty had been delayed. She was at least 14 years old!

Chuck didn't take the news well. He wanted time with his 'kids' and now it seemed that he had been robbed of their childhood and he found that very unsettling. He set out to fill their days with learning and new experiences to prepare them for the 'modern world'.

He wanted to take them to Orlando and Disney World but thought through it and decided it wasn't secure enough. That left day trips throughout France and he planned on sending Hannah, Ellie and the two oldest on a Viking river cruise through northern Europe. He also planned a cruise for just he and Hannah, probably around the Aegean but he needed to finish up a full load of projects first.

* * *

Su-Fi had decided that she'd go by 'Sophie' since that's what the staff and everyone changed Su-Fi into when they pronounced it. Only her 'Jzhuck' said it correctly. She couldn't manage the 'Ch' sound of 'Chuck' so he just smiled and answered to 'Jzhuck', making it almost sound like 'Jacques' but not quite. It was cute and charming and he wanted her to stay 'little' but knew it wasn't possible. '_If __only __we__'__d __found __them __a __few __years __earlier__'_ was a frequent thought.

She refused to call him 'Dad', or 'Pop' or the French 'Papa', saying he was not her father. This hurt him but he tried not to show it. She was right. He'd just scooped her up and out of her natural environment and he wasn't her father.

He just didn't know that Su-Fi considered him anything but a father and considered herself as his 'second wife' or 'concubine' although she didn't know the term in French or English. And he was her 'Jzhuck'. That was how it had been in her culture's tradition and that was how it was going to be. Period. When a man brought an unmarried woman into his household, he 'married' her for all intents and purposes.

Yve had rebelled and called Chuck 'Dad' or 'Daddy'. She considered herself above the old ways and refused to honor the old traditions. She was a 'modern' girl in every respect and planned on going to America and study International Relations.

When Hannah & Chuck gave her an Audi sports car for her 18th 'birthday', they created a monster who changed from a beautiful young girl into Mario Andretti and they were constantly dealing with the local cops about her impromptu road races with local boys.

Su-Fi soaked up French and English like a sponge and was a voracious reader once her eyesight problem had been diagnosed and corrected. She wore glasses but Chuck wanted her to have contacts or laser surgery as soon as she was old enough. She didn't care. There was a whole world out there and books were her travel ticket. She wanted to fit in to her Jzhuck's world and not embarrass him with ignorance.

She excelled at almost anything she tried. Su-Fi regularly trained with the security staff and was learning several of the martial arts as well as handling a pistol. Her 'Jzhuck' had smiled at her learning self-defense but had become very upset at her using firearms. Hugo told him it was smart since no one had found the rat that had set up the kidnapping.

"Chuck, another gun in your household is good. No one would expect someone like Sophie to be carrying a weapon. It's good security."

Chuck had reluctantly agreed especially when Hannah told him it was a good idea, too. When he'd explained it to Sophie she'd taken it as his approval of her role as his bodyguard – the proper role of a junior wife in her traditions.

She'd smiled and kissed his cheek and thanked him and then scampered off to find Henri or one of the security guards to assign her a pistol. She would never be without it, keeping it under her pillow.

Her only regret was that her Jzhuck never came to her bedroom except when she was sick or to kiss her goodnight. He used to tell her a story but felt she'd 'grown up' and no longer needed to hear the words when she could read them herself. Was there something wrong with her? At first she'd feared him but now…

* * *

Hannah sorted through the family mail she picked up at the post office in the village and opened up a card from the US. It was a family Christmas card from 'the Stuarts' with their family portrait on the front and a message from Mike wishing them seasons' greetings and reminding them that they should call them if they came to the US. His wife had written a brief note thanking Chuck for his concern for her family during the 'unpleasantness' and repeated her husband's offer of further contact. She threw the card away.

'_So __that__'__s __Sarah __Walker __Stuart? _

_B__londe,__big__boobs,__tall __and__…' _She shook off the unkind thought and threw the card away just like she would others so many times in the future. She looked down at her small breasts and sighed but perked up when she remembered that her lover, her husband, always told her 'bigger is not necessarily better' and he seemed to think they were 'a perfect pair'.

In late January Casey called Chuck and asked him to 'come in for a refresher' and a conference call with the agency directors. Something big was in the wind and they needed either his expertise or his advice or his help. Chuck asked if it was OK to bring Su-Fi in for a little talk with Alex especially since they'd been so wrong about so many other things – like her age - and Casey replied 'no problem', he'd set it up.

"I'm looking forward to talking with Alex, Jzhuck. She always tells me things I need to know but don't. Can we go to lunch at that bistro again? And I need shoes, Jzhuck. These are pinching my toes. And a new pair of shooting glasses? Please, Jzhuck?"

"Yes, we'll eat lunch at the bistro and maybe take Casey and Alex. We'll get you shoes on the way back. You're growing too quickly, Su-Fi. You won't be my little girl much longer. Soon you'll be wanting to learn to drive and want a car of your own!"

"Really? You'll teach me to drive? And my own car? Oh, Jzhuck, I love you! That's awesome! A little SmartCar or a Mini-Cooper? Oh, I'm so lucky to have you, Jzhuck!"

'_I __need __Beckman __to __load __some __cultural __and __anthropological __reports __on __Su-Fi__'__s__culture __in __the __next __download. __Sometimes __she__'__s __a __teenager __and __other __times __she acts __like __a __mature __woman. __I __don__'__t __want __to __create __a __problem __if __I __can __avoid __it. __Maybe __a __car __isn__'__t __such __a __good __idea__…' _

He didn't know what such a gift might mean in her culture and tradition. He'd already stepped in it when he tried to get her to call him 'dad'.

Su-Fi smiled to herself. Her brother and Yve and Hannah and Aunt Ellie would be on a river cruise and it would be just her and her Jzhuck for the that week. She planned on spending as much time with him as she could. She also planned other things.

* * *

Stuart Residence  
Arlington, VA

Sarah Walker was used to being spoiled rotten by the Agency and have any information she required made immediately available to her so it was a very frustrated Sarah Walker who kept running into 'you're no longer authorized to access that information' or 'you're on indeterminate leave, Ms. Walker, you have no need to know' when inquiring about one Mr. Charles Windsor.

"What's up, Sarah? You look pissed about something?" Jeb hoped it wasn't anything he'd done. His step-mom kinda scared him. She could probably stop a charging rhino with a glance. At 18, he'd noticed other things about her and kept comparing the girls he'd dated to his step-mother and they all fell short of the mark. His freshman year in college had been wasted on easy girls, beer and fraternity antics. Sarah had taken him aside and told him bluntly that he'd better 'keep it in his pants' and do nothing to hurt the family's reputation.

"Nothing, kiddo. Just frustrated with the system is all. I'm trying to find out some stuff on a guy your dad and I will be doing business with and I'm running into dead ends."

"Have you googled him?" He opened up his laptop and booted it up.

"Um, no. Why don't you show me how you do that?" She hated anyone knowing she was computer-deficient. When Chuck tried to teach – _NO!__Don__'__t__go__there__…_

"OK, what's the dude's name?"

"Windsor, Charles. He lives in France. His wife's name is Hannah but she's dead I think."

"OK, let's check for 'Charles & Hannah Windsor' first." He clicked his mouse and there were several entries from French newspapers and magazines. Sarah saw one that caught her eye and asked Jeb to see if there was a picture with the article.

"Oh, you want to know what the guy looks like? OK." He clicked 'images' and several images of Hannah and Charles dancing, standing in groups with the President and First Lady of France, but none of them showed his face. He either turned away from the camera or the image was cropped to exclude his face.

"Damn, no clear images of his face. She's pretty, though, don't you think? Exotic. And that dress…wow!" Jeb was impressed with a saffron colored Ao-Dai that Hannah was wearing. It was very revealing without showing any skin. Sarah frowned. "Can we find others? I'm curious what this guy looks like. He's a friend of your Dad's. They met in Paris." Yes, the woman was exotic and beautiful and resembled the woman Chuck had been chasing after like a dog in heat in Paris. Coincidence?

"Can we just look for him on Goggle? Maybe not get the girl so much." She really didn't want to look at the skank and how he held her when they danced or the way he had his arm around her in a candid photo with the Sarkozys.

"It's 'Google', Sarah, not Goggle. You really need to spend some time with Megan on her computer. She's the wizard in the family." He clicked on an article in the International Herald Tribune and waited for the image and article to load. The site was slow.

Just then her husband came home carrying two pizzas and the inquiry was forgotten. Three seconds later an image of Charles Windsor appeared over an article announcing his appointment as Chairman of the Board of Circus Information Systems. The screen saver timed out and Windows loaded updates and rebooted the computer.

* * *

US Embassy  
Secure Conference Room  
Paris, France  
Late March

The meeting dealt with Africa and the breakaway province in one of the west African countries that was causing headlines and consternation throughout the West. The 'rebels' were holding the European managers of several privately owned gas fields and rigs prisoner after 'nationalizing' the fields for the 'people'. There was talk of show trials and executions. They wanted to know what the Circus could do for them?

His response was typical Bartowski. "General, Directors, Circus Information Systems can do nothing for you except provide on-the-ground intel. That is the scope of our business. Nothing more."

"Director Windsor, what about the small commando force you're considering? Any progress on that front?" Beckman cut to what they really wanted. Could they go in and rescue the prisoners before revolutionary zeal yielded executions. The western governments couldn't send in troops to perform a rescue because the other governments in Africa were watching closely to see what the reaction of the Western Powers would be. _Neocolonialism_was a term heard at the UN. Touchy, indeed.

It was 'decided' to give all available intel on the situation to Circus Information to see what their take was on possible alternatives. None of the major government representatives wanted to see armed interdiction by their respective governments. The meeting ended on that note as well as the probable date for the trials in 4 weeks. The rebels wanted maximum attention in the media. The Chinese and several other left-wing governments had already extended diplomatic recognition to the new 'Peoples Republic of Western Africa'.

Chuck followed Su-Fi's laughter to Alex's office. He loved her laugh. He just wished she'd laugh more but every time he was with her she was so damned serious. _'__Except__for__the__conversations__about__her__getting__her__own__pistol__and__driving__and__getting__a__car.__'_ His subconscious was a pain in the ass more times than not but it was right this time.

"Well, ladies, anyone up for lunch? My treat, Alex, and Casey's going to meet us there in a few minutes."

"I don't know, Chuck. Sophie and I were having the most interesting conversation right before you got here. Can we continue after lunch?" She looked at Sophie as if asking permission. "I'm free for the afternoon."

"Yes, Alexandra, I'd like that very much." She smiled at Alex and glanced at Chuck to see if he disagreed. "I'll find something interesting to do until you're done, Su-Fi."

He'd take the mini-download and sleep for half an hour and then they'd head home – after buying her _another_pair of new shoes. It was always something. Maybe they'd swing by her mother's favorite boutique and buy her a dress. She always wore such mannish clothes.

* * *

Chateau Almandine  
May

The flat screen monitor carried the images of General Beckman (now sporting 2 stars), the new director of the CIA and two distinguished-looking African gentlemen.

"Director General, the regime in the break-away province has announced that trials will begin next month and that 'revolutionary justice' demands the execution of these 'thieves of the people's resources'. What progress has been made in developing a plan of action?"

"General, Circus has provided you with all the intel we could gather. That was the extent of our agreement. The plans for a Merc force are completed, but that's _all_ they are, General Beckman, plans."

"How long would it take you to activate your force if you were given unlimited resources and a free hand? Things are heating up and the Chinese and North Koreans as well as some Middle Eastern countries have all supplied the regime with 'military advisors. Even the Cubans have sent a small team of advisors probably hoping to regain a toe-hold in Africa."

"General, what aren't you telling me? There are 18 men and women of various nationalities being held. To be blunt, it hardly seems worth getting involved to such a degree."

"Stability in Africa is more important now than ever before. Resources are getting scarce and Africa has abundant untapped reserves of fossil fuels as well as vast mineral deposits that the West requires. It's simple economics, nothing more."

"Neocolonialism under the guise of 'regime change'?" There had to be more to it than that.

"So why not eliminate the junta members and allow the former rulers to reassert control? Take out the leadership and all you have left is hungry people hoping for a change that won't kill them and that the 'new' ruling class is merciful to them."

"The junta headquarters are on the top floor of the former Hilton hotel. The prisoners are being housed on the 5th floor immediately below the junta headquarters. Simply bombing the hotel is out. It requires some skillful and selective surgery to eliminate the tumor, Director General."

"So, you want all six of the junta council eliminated and the hostages freed, is that correct? What about subordinates that might feel that they can assume the various mantles of power?"

"Eliminate the junta members and free the prisoners and we will swoop in and reassert control and free the people from their bonds."

Chuck had already decided that the minister of defense was a pompous asshole and his remark cinched his opinion.

"I'll get back to you within a week." He disconnected the teleconference and called Casey at the embassy and asked him to 'come out for family night' even though it wasn't Thursday. It was a code for an unscheduled meeting if anyone overheard or followed the Defense Attaché, Casey's new title that came with a colonel's eagles.

Next he called Hugo and Henri and told them to plan on meeting at 7pm in the family kitchen. Hannah would just have to 'rough it' and cook in the Chateau's kitchen. Lastly, he called Jacques and asked him to attend if he felt up to it. Lately he'd been keeping to himself, not taking any meals in public and sleeping a lot. His health was rapidly deteriorating and Chuck felt helpless watching a man he admired circling the drain.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: This chapter covers a 2-year period.

One more chapter & epilogue. Busy.

OM

* * *

Stuart Residence  
Arlington, VA

June

Mike Stuart was neither stupid nor naïve. He understood exactly what was going on in his wife's head. Sarah was bored and a bored Sarah was a curious Sarah and curiosity was the last thing Mike Stuart needed in his life.

He had announced his candidacy for Governor and had assembled a staff and they were well into campaigning. He'd started late and would require a lot of money and 'face time' with voters to win the election.

"Sarah, we're going to begin an aggressive series of fundraisers and I'll need you in attendance. I'll give you a schedule and you can decide which you'll want to go to and which you'll want to skip. I don't mean to dump the family responsibilities on you but you've never been in a political campaign before and the pace is brutal and I'll be hard-pressed for time to handle the family money and stuff. Can I count on you?"

It was like magic. Her smile lit the room and he knew he was definitely going to get lucky tonight. Goodbye boredom, hello, mission-oriented Sarah.

He had no idea of the monster he'd created and in the months ahead he'd look back on this brief conversation with shock and sometimes regret but it marked a definite turning point in their relationship. Lisa had never given much thought to an election, just showing up for the photo ops and disappearing back to the apartment and later, the house, when she was no longer needed. Sarah became an active campaigner and sometimes a pain in the ass but the polls showed she was more of an asset than a liability.

Until photographs and mission reports of her activities in the CIA were mailed to her husband along with a suggestion that he withdraw from the primary election and public life or everyone in the country would know that his wife was a CIA whore and an assassin.

Stuart Residence  
Arlington, VA  
August

"Tell me that these are fakes, Sarah, please!"

"They're not. Those were from sealed and secret files. I did what I had to do to accomplish my assignments. I'm not proud of what I had to do but I am proud that I eliminated threats to my country. Do you want a divorce, Mike? I should have told you – "

"No, you shouldn't have told me. These are classified files. You're my wife, Sarah, and I'll be damned if some – no, I don't want a divorce. Why would you even suggest such a thing?"

"It would protect the family and once the divorce was final, you could run for the Senate or – "

"You don't think much of me, do you, Agent Walker?

That stung. He sounded just like someone else she'd loved and she was going to run from him, just like she had the other man.

"I love you. I could never love a coward. Stay the course. I'll talk to some people and see if they can trace a chain of custody. I'll make a public statement to the press and ask for understanding."

"No. I'll make inquiries. You just keep on doing whatever it is you have scheduled. I need to make a call. Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll handle this."

* * *

Chateau Almandine  
Outside Paris, France

His cell vibrated and clattered to the floor. Hannah woke up enough to reach down and retrieve it and hand it to her husband who was wrapped around her, his face buried in her neck.

"Chuck – your cell. Wake up, honey, and take the call. And take you hand out of my nightgown until you're able to concentrate on what you're doing and not multitasking."

"Windsor. Who's calling." There was a long period of silence as Chuck listened to the caller. He grew very angry and then calmed down and asked the caller to scan the documents in question and send them to him at his email address. Since Chuck didn't give out his address, she assumed it was Circus business and reluctantly left their warm bed and went to make coffee.

As he watched her leave their bedroom, the light from the hall illuminated her form beneath the silk nightgown, and he felt a wave of love and desire flow through him but he tamped the desire down until later; there was no way he could suppress what he felt for Hannah.

"Mike, I'm going to do things that you won't want to be associated with, that you'll be able to swear under oath that you had no knowledge of. I'll take care of it. You see to your family and your election. If I come over there, I'll want to stay in the mansion, y'know, for comparative purposes to our Chateau." It was a joke between them.

He called General Beckman and explained the situation and 'suggested' that the Combine launch an investigation of its own – unless they were responsible for the documents in the first place.

"Mike Stuart is a valuable friend of the intelligence community. We will be very thorough in ferreting out the individuals who obtained and released the documents." Beckman was as serious about this as anything. If they could find and disseminate classified files on an agent, they were all at risk. Everyone had 'skeletons in their spy closets'.

Chuck made some more calls and issued instructions and soon Stuart's opponent started receiving emails, phone calls and letters. There were no threats implied, simply statements of intent. An operative slipped into his campaign headquarters and his home. The operative planted several devices throughout his office and home and on his phones and viruses on his personal computer and within hours the analysts at Circus Information Systems were chortling at the information that was being funneled to them.

There were more emails and letters sent, videos of the candidate's dalliances with underage boys and girls as well as simple suggestions. 'Remove yourself from public life or face humiliation and possible imprisonment'.

* * *

Within weeks, Stuart suddenly found himself without an opponent of any standing and he won by a landslide in November. He and his family moved into the governor's mansion shortly after the inauguration in January.

Sarah Walker took an indefinite leave of absence from the Central Intelligence Agency and assumed the role of 'First Lady' with all the energy she'd invested in her spy job.

* * *

The Windsor family suffered a pair of tragedies. Jacques Dubois passed away from complications of Parkinson's Disease, surrounded by his family and friends.

A few months later, Henri suffered a massive coronary and died.

Both were buried in the Legion Cemetery as tradition allowed - Comrades in life and death.

* * *

6 months later

At the family breakfast, a ritual that occurred less and less frequently as the 'kids' developed outside interests and Chuck got more and more involved in running the corporations, Yve dropped a bomb on her parents.

"Mom, Daddy, I've been accepted by George Washington University and I want to go. I want to study International Relations and join Daddy's firm some day. He's not getting any younger and I think – no, I know – that I want to fill his shoes when you two finally decide to retire."

Chuck felt a sense of loss that transformed itself into a fierce sense of pride. His slight nod of approval sent her heart soaring and her tall and lithe dancer's frame into his lap, hugging him and laughing in delight. She'd matured both emotionally and physically and she knew exactly what she wanted to be 'when she grew up'. She wanted to be like her father and grandfather.

Hannah smiled at the display of affection that was rarely seen between those two. Yve had always stood apart, a little aloof, but she'd worked her butt off mastering all the martial arts skills she could persuade Uncle Hugo or any of the security staff to teach her. She didn't like guns. She'd leave the shooting to Paul and Sophia. No. She preferred a hands-on approach to solving problems but seemed to mirror her father's preference for negotiated settlements backed by a willingness to get physical.

Su-Fi felt nothing at all about her sister's announcement but she was jealous of the moment of intimacy the two shared when Yve hugged Chuck and he hugged her back, pressing a kiss into her long black hair. She'd never grown close to her 'sister'. They were of different clans and traditions. She and Paul were family. Yve had become a 'sister' by circumstance.

* * *

Hannah spent as much time as possible with Yve during their last summer together before she headed off to America and the university. She'd badgered Chuck into contacting Michael Stuart and asking that he 'look out' for her should she need anything.

Stuart was both honored and flattered that Charles Windsor entrusted him with looking out for his daughter. He made arrangements for Sarah and Megan, now a high school senior, to meet her at the airport in DC and see to it that she got situated and then offer an invitation to spend any holidays with them. He owed Windsor and would do everything to ensure his daughter was well looked after.

He understood why Yve was instructed to use her mother's maiden name in all dealings with outsiders. It was a wise precaution.

* * *

With Yve gone, Hannah lost her 'shopping buddy' and so she tried to recruit Su-Fi but was disappointed when her daughter simply said, "I have clothes and shoes enough, Mother. I have no need to 'shop' when I have everything I need in life right here."

Hannah was at loose ends until John Casey mentioned that he was having potential security problems with the networks he used with his fledgling Merc Force, officially known as the Militia. He'd been 'released' from the NSA in order to take over organizing and eventually commanding the Militia with Hugo Panzer handling the day-to-day operations.

She immediately offered her services and Casey jumped at the chance. He remembered her background and Chuck's comment that she was 'better with computers than I am'. That was recommendation enough.

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, the Militia was fully manned and equipped. Keeping Stuart's comments about asymmetrical warfare in mind, the organization expanded until it included a company of helicopters for airlift capabilities, three full companies of infantry, a Roll-on Roll-off car carrier that carried the Militia's troops, aircraft and assault craft. Hannah Nguyen became the group's Communications and Technology coordinator.

* * *

"You've done what?" Casey stood in front of Chuck's desk in his Chateau office. He felt like a 2nd Lieutenant again. Hannah simply snickered and told Casey to 'get lost for a while, John. I'll handle this' and he hurried out, wishing he was a fly on the wall for the upcoming confrontation.

"Chuck, I'm bored. With Ellie busy at her hospital and Su-Fi with her nose in a book or doing whatever it is she does with the security people, I'm bored. John mentioned security issues with his network and I offered to help. Well, I saw other opportunities and neither Casey or Hugo were up to it, so I did it. It's a done deal, Chuck."

"Hannah, I will not have you running all over the world in a damned commo van while the Militia does its thing. Your place is here, at my side, in our home. What about – "

"I want to do this, Chuck. I am going to do this. You have your job, your responsibilities, and now I have mine. This is important to me. Please don't be difficult. I'll have 400 men and women watching out for me. Nothing will happen to me."

* * *

Chuck spent Christmas alone with Su-Fi. The Militia had their first engagement scheduled and Chuck had kissed his wife goodbye on the dock at Loire watched her sail off into harm's way.

Su-Fi regularly chatted with Yve via Skype Webcam and kept her up to date on the family happenings. She seemed to get along a lot better with Yve when she was 3,000 miles away than when she was home.

"So, Sophie, where are the parents? I wanted to wish them a Merry Christmas."

"Mother is off with the Militia and Jzhuck is in his office probably finishing off a bottle of brandy. He is not happy with Mother. She should be here with him but instead he is alone. How goes 'the great hunt'?"

"I have found him. Now I must let him catch me, Su-Fi. I'm spending the holidays with him and his parents at their home in Arlington. They are nice but not nearly as friendly now that they know that their son and I are seeing each other. His mother is scary, Su-Fi, but his father is much like Daddy."

"So, are you going to bring him home to meet us this summer or will you have another boyfriend by then? You _are_ coming home to Almandine for the summer, aren't you, Yve? Jzhuck misses you and you must be in need of new clothes and shoes by then."

The power died and Su-Fi ran to find her father as klaxon horns sounded security alert. She could see security forces scurrying across the grounds and hear the sound of small arms fire.

The Chateau was under attack!


	26. Chapter 26

Please see author's notes at the bottom.

This is harder than I thought it would be.

Oldest Man

* * *

Chateau Almandine Christmas night

Chuck had finished an entire bottle of really old brandy and was quietly sleeping it off in the carriage house in the room Hannah had christened 'the Garden Room'. He had started out on the settee looking out the large French doors at the snow-covered gardens, drinking brandy and listening to the fire crackling.

He finished the bottle and realized he couldn't feel his legs and just laughed and threw another log on the fire and then stumbled back onto the settee and fell asleep.

Hid daughter was upstairs in the Chateau proper, probably cleaning her pistols, sharpening her knives or planning mayhem of some sort. Su-Fi scared him sometimes with her intense focus and single-minded obsession with hovering over him. It was why he'd come to the Carriage House. To get away from her disapproval of his drinking. She reminded him a lot of a blonde from his past.

She'd been obligated, too.

His son was in Loire, probably out carousing with his mates but hopefully curled up along side some sweet thing, enjoying his Christmas. Paul was equally obsessed with anything that left the ground under its own power. If it was equipped with things that made noises like rocket launchers or machine guns, he was in heaven.

His eldest daughter – the scholar – had better be in bed – alone – under the watchful eye of Mike Stuart. He missed Yve a lot, even though she'd never warmed to him as a father. He couldn't blame her. He'd taken her and her siblings away from all she'd known and dropped her into his world. She and Hannah had seemed like sisters rather than mother-figure and daughter. At least they were friends.

His wife – the love of his life – was out in the Atlantic somewhere on her way to some 3rd world shit hole instead of lying beside him, smiling in her sleep.

Yeah, Merry damned Christmas, Chuck.

* * *

Su-Fi shook herself awake. It had only been a dream. There were no attackers, no klaxon horns braying in the night, no dark figures scurrying across the lawns exchanging fire with the security forces.

Still trembling from her dream, she splashed water on her face, pulled on some clothes and walked down the hallway to her parent's bedroom to check on her Jzhuck.

She barged into the security office ten minutes later demanding to know where Chuck was. The guard on duty smiled, wished her a Merry Christmas, and told her that 'the Director General' was enjoying a quiet brandy in the Carriage House and that two guards had been positioned out in the garden on over watch per standing orders.

It was 4am and if he was 'enjoying a quiet brandy' then he was going to have company. He shouldn't be alone. Not on this special holiday that was her first and sweetest memory of family. There had been no Merry anything in the camp.

"Send the guards back to their quarters. It is much too cold out there and I will bring him back and pour him into bed. Thank you for your diligence."

She'd learned a thing or two from him. 'Praise in public, punish in private' and 'Do not treat the staff like servants'. Alexandra had once said that her Jzhuck was a throwback to a 'more genteel age'. She hadn't understood at the time but now she did.

She finally found him asleep on the settee and settled in beside him, covering them both with the heavy blanket she'd brought. She was going to have a long talk with her mother about leaving him alone at Christmas.

* * *

The Militia made port on New Year's Eve day and both Casey and Panzer made it back in time for the party at the Chateau but Casey told Chuck that Hannah 'had some things to wrap up' and would be back in a few hours. He wouldn't look Chuck in the eye and Panzer avoided Chuck like he had leprosy, staying with Ellie and dancing.

Yve had sent him a text wishing him a Happy New Year and he'd talked to Paul for more than two hours earlier, delighted with his son's progress and laughing at some of his wild tales. He would get his wings in April and strongly hinted that he wanted his parents to attend.

Those had been the bright spots in a thoroughly dreary and depressing day. The week between Christmas and New Year's had dragged on and Chuck had devoured the after-action reports on the raid. No fatalities and only minimal casualties. The stockholders would be pleased with the additional revenue and the potential client list that would grow and grow.

Chuck looked at his watch and cursed as he fought the bow tie to a draw. Hannah usually tied it for him. Where the hell was his wife?

* * *

Chuck and Su-Fi constituted the Chateau's 'receiving line', greeting guests and pressing the flesh. Su-Fi had gone into Paris with Alex and had picked out a gown that Alex thought was 'too mature' for her but reconsidered when she modeled it. The 17-year old was a woman who hid behind baggy clothes and the preconceived opinions of adults who thought of her as a child.

'_Chuck and I had better have a talk about Su-Fi and her Electra Complex. My God, with a little makeup and with her hair fixed, she'll look at least 20 or older!'_

She _was_ wearing makeup and had her hair up in some twisted thing. The saffron color of the dress enhanced her eyes and skin. She was radiant and Chuck had been both saddened that his little girl was suddenly a beautiful young woman and pleased with how regal she looked.

Director Vathanakul, from the Far East Region of the Circus, was particularly taken and flirted with her in the receiving line, thoroughly captivated by her beauty. She, however, was not captivated and told him, in the language of the camps, that she was the Second Wife to the Director General and to 'fuck off'.

"I'm – I'm so sorry, Director. I did not know. I meant no offense." He seemed to shrink and quickly shook Chuck's hand and disappeared into the crowd, heading for Casey and the bar. He needed to explain to Casey that he hadn't meant any insult. He hadn't realized that Chuck had adopted a Hmong refugee and honored her sect's traditions. He hadn't intended to initiate a blood feud by insulting his Second Wife.

"Su-Fi, care to explain why he almost pissed himself? And exactly what did you say to him?" He wrapped his arm around her bare shoulders and wished again that she'd worn something more age-appropriate.

"Jzhuck, I simply told him that I was not interested in his advances. He is Thai and his interest is not appreciated. You, of all people, should understand since Hannah is Hmong, also."

"Let's dance, Su-Fi, while I wrap my head around what you've told me. I think, little girl, that you and I need to have a cultural exchange."

She stepped into his arms and leaned against him and whispered 'I am not a little girl, Jzhuck'. To on-lookers, it looked like a father and daughter dancing together but to two people, it was a husband dancing with his Second Wife, even if he didn't know it.

* * *

Hannah finally made an appearance around 10 and wore a dress very similar to Su-Fi's except that the color was a deeper russet. It was more daring than Su-Fi's and was backless.

She was working her way through the guests when Vathanakul stopped her and apologized for his impertinence and stated that he meant no insult to the family. He simply didn't know that Chuck had taken a Hmong woman as a second wife and his flirtations were unintended.

"Director, Chai, I have no idea what you're talking about. Chuck only has one wife – me."

"But the young woman on his arm, she told me she was his Second Wife. She said that such insult was a – "

"Chai, she's our daughter. She was one of the children we rescued from the camp. I'm sure you misunderstood her."

"No. And you should know your own culture, Madam Windsor, unless you were too young…"

"My culture, Director, is not at issue here. I will speak with her, of course, tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm sure Chuck took no offense. He considers Sophie as his precious child, nothing more."

Hannah finally got through the crowd of guests and found her husband dancing with some 'tart' who seemed to think he was hers. Chuck didn't seem to mind how she hung on him, in fact –

"Hello, husband. Happy New Year. I'm sorry I got held up but I'm here now unless you'd rather have a younger model – "

Su-Fi stepped back from Chuck and looked at Hannah with a sad smile. "I was only doing my duty. You should have been here, with him, not traipsing around Africa." She turned on her heel, thoroughly aggravated by the situation.

_Maybe I can make him jealous. Where's that Thai pig?_

"Hannah, I think you and Su-Fi and I need to have a serious sit-down about things. She's not the same when you're not here. She – she _hovers_ – and it's very nice for a while but gets old fast. She and Chai had words but I didn't understand a word. Camp speech or some Thai dialect."

Hannah had been just as surprised to find that the 'tart' was her daughter Sophie.

"Chuck, I can't believe you'd allow her to wear something that – that mature. Where was your head? She looks older than she is and it's no wonder Chai flirted with her. We have some fences to mend with him. She scared the crap out of him with some 'blood feud' nonsense because he insulted you by hitting on your wife."

"Hannah, you weren't here. Alex went with her and together they selected the dress. Maybe if you'd been here she might have picked something more 'appropriate' but you weren't and I had to trust Alex."

Hannah looked down at her feet and sighed. It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were fighting like – like parents.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. I promise to make it up to you, honey; it's been a long day. Now, dance with me and then take me to bed and drink champagne from my navel and make love to me until morning."

"It's been a long 8 days, Hannah. We need to discuss these deployments of yours, but not any time soon. Let me tell you about Paul and Yve."

The couple danced together until the midnight bells and then retired to their suite.

* * *

Su-Fi had revised her opinion of the 'Thai pig' and found his company both enjoyable and novel. Chai, for his part, had no idea what was going on but found himself slipping deeper and deeper under her spell.

* * *

A/N: I think one chapter left and/or an epilogue. Gotta figure out how he'd like this to end.

Oldest Man


	27. Chapter 27

It's me. I promised someone I'd finish this and I will as time permits. APR owes me a lot of booze when I see him next - assuming I go up and not down. Maybe another chapter to finish this. Still not brave enough to tackle the clone thing.

OM

* * *

Chateau Almandine  
New Years Day

Chuck was awakened by the cramping and ache in his hands, especially the left one. He must have muttered something or groaned because Hannah rolled over and grabbed his hand in hers and started massaging the fingers then the palms of his hands. Her touch seemed to bring almost instant relief and he kissed her in thanks.

"Ugh, Chuck - I have morning breath. No kissing before I brush. When will you let Ellie take x-rays again and see if anything can be done to relieve the pain? It hurts me when you're hurting and I can't do anything about it."

"You massage away most of the pain and stiffness and it seems to last most of the day. No reason to bother my sister. She's dragged me from one specialist to another and they all same the same thing – sorry, nothing we can do."

"Well, maybe acupuncture? Or acupressure? I want you to try everything to relieve this pain."

"Acupuncture? _N-Needles? _No way!"

"You big baby. You can topple governments with a twitch of your finger but are terrified of needles? Better not let that information appear in public."

"We need to talk to Su-Fi and figure out what this Second Wife stuff is all about. I have more than enough trying to handle one."

"Nicely put, Chuck. Chai says she and I are Hmong so I think we need to start our research there before speaking with Sophie. The more we know, the better off we'll be."

"Chai seemed taken with her last night. Creeped me out. He's too old for her, Hannah. And she's too damned young for anyone. Hell, she's only 17!"

"We _think_ she's 17 but we have no way of knowing without some invasive procedures and I'm not putting our little girl through pain just to satisfy our curiosity."

"She's still too damned young – and beautiful. I better bring a shotgun home from the armory."

Hannah laughed and pressed a kiss onto his chest and then went to brush her teeth. She envisioned spending the morning in bed indulging herself with her husband. She'd missed him and understood his anger with her for leaving but like he always said, 'business is business'.

* * *

Arlington, VA  
Two Years Later

Jeb Stuart crept out of the guest bedroom and quickly made his way back to his own room. Yve had come over from DC, spent the weekend visiting his parents and finally showed them the small but classy engagement ring he'd presented Yve with on Valentine's Day.

His stepmother had beamed at him and hugged Yve to her, prattling on in French and acting for all the world like old friends. His father, on the other hand, seemed pensive, almost rigid.

"So, Dad, what do you think? We plan to fly over to France and meet her folks in June after she graduates. She's getting her M.A. in International Studies and has already secured a consulting job with an international firm with a branch here in DC."

Mike Stuart took his son by the arm and walked into the study. He really had no objection to the girl. She was smart, beautiful and obviously head-over-heels in love with his son and he with her.

The problem was _her _family.

"Son, this is a big step, a very big step. You've only 23 and she's so young…"

"Dad, I'm 24 and she's 22…and I'm marrying her. I have the means to support us although Yve is wealthy in her own right. I don't need your permission, just your blessing. Sarah is fine with it. Why aren't you?"

"Yes, Mike, what's the problem?" Sarah had seen her son be escorted into her husband's study by his father and she sensed that something was 'off'. He'd always been warm and cordial to Yve until Jeb had started dating her and then he'd chilled to the relationship.

"Sarah, this is a father & son talk. Please excuse us."

Sarah's face got stony and she whirled on her heel and stomped out of the area. She had never been so…insulted by her husband in all their years of marriage.

* * *

"So, Yve, while Mike and Jeb are having their father-son talk, tell me all about your family." She really liked her future daughter-in-law.

"Well, my sister and brother and I were rescued by them from a refugee camp and adopted. My parents were visiting Thailand on their honeymoon and took us home. I could not have asked for more loving parents and my adopted brother and my adopted sister have been blessed with anything and everything."

"Your parents must be very proud of you. Have you told them of your engagement yet?" Okay, they were adopted. No big deal.

"My father would like me to find a job here in the US but I have set my sights on _his_ position. He is Director General of Circus Information Systems but his health…he was kidnapped in Argentina some years ago and suffered terribly. His hands are crippled and the pain is constant. He was deafened somewhat and wears a hearing aide. He is still young looking and handsome and he and my mother act like newlyweds. No, I have not shared my news yet."

"Go on, Yve. Tell me about your mother." She'd heard of the Circus. It was a legitimate intel clearinghouse and was said to be honest and plain-dealing with clients. She knew that the CIA subscribed to several programs offered by the Circus.

"Hannah is wonderful. She was my best friend while I was growing up. She's not much older than I am, really. My sister, Sophie, actually it's Su-Fi but everyone just calls her Sophie, takes after my father, following him around, going on trips with him. Sometimes I am jealous of their bond but I know there's more to it than just hero worship. They share a terrible secret that no one will speak of."

"Your mother is French?"

"Oh, no. Both she and my father are American expatriates. They met in Paris one summer when my Dad was there on vacation and it was love at first sight – Le Clique – is what the French call it. He went to work for my Grandfather's company and built it into CIS."

"It sounds like the Nguyens are a remarkable family, Yve. You must be very proud."

"Nguyen is my mother's maiden name. My dad's name is Windsor but because of the sensitive nature of the CIS, I use my mother's maiden name."

"Your father's name – what is it, Yve? Is it…is it Charles?"

"Why, yes. How did you guess?"

Sarah was making 'connections' that would have made Bartowski proud. The 'terrible secret' was when Shaw had kidnapped Yve's mother and sister. '_But Mike said that Shaw had killed his wife and daughter?'_

She thought back to the House hearing when she'd first met her husband. They'd asked questions about Iceland and the Hole and some guy named – Windsor!

'_Oh, my God! I had her father kidnapped and interrogated and then dumped in the Hole!'_

"Yve, excuse me for a moment. I have to speak with my husband." She got to her feet and felt lightheaded for a moment but then squared her shoulders and walked to the closed door of the study and opened it without knocking.

* * *

"Jeb, honey, Yve's feeling a little trapped by all this family drama. How about running out and getting us some pizza and a nice wine while your dad and I go over some details."

She shot Mike a 'move and I'll kill you' glare and then patted her stepson on the back with a 'run along' gesture.

When he closed the door, Sarah opened fire with both barrels.

"You bastard! You knew! You knew all along and you…you played me! The hearings, Windsor, _Charles_ Windsor, the man whose wife and daughter were murdered…that's _his daughter out there!"_

"Sarah, please, don't pursue this line of questioning. It's a national security issue and you definitely do not have a need to know."

"WHAT! Don't you dare hide behind that 'need to know' crap. I NEED to know if you lied to me all those years ago. I NEED to know if…"

"No, you don't. If you love me, Sarah, if you love our life together, if you have any shred of professionalism left in you, you'll leave this alone."

"Tell me the truth." She took off her engagement and wedding ring and put them on his desk.

"You don't want to know the truth, _Agent Walker_, because you won't be able to handle the truth. You need to put those rings back on your finger where they belong."

"Windsor, at least tell me who Windsor is, Michael. His wife isn't dead. His daughter obviously isn't dead. Why did you lie to me?"

"I didn't lie to you. When I got that call that morning so long ago it was like a nightmare. Shaw was coming for you. He wanted you dead and he'd kidnapped Windsor's wife and younger daughter, Sophie, and Shaw had told him on the phone that he'd killed one because he didn't need two. That's the truth. Put the rings back on, Sarah, please."

"Who is Charles Windsor, Mike. Tell me. I had that man kidnapped and tortured and then dumped into the Hole in Iceland. He was one of ours and he never broke faith, even with us."

"He's just a man, Sarah, with a wife who loves him, children who adore him and who has been undercover since 2007. That's all I really know. We met in Paris and I took an immediate liking to him. Beckman was our point in common. She set up our meeting and we've kept in touch with the occasional email and you even send them Christmas cards."

She was struggling with the magnitude of what she'd done so long ago to a man she didn't even know.

"And Sarah, he's the man who made those pictures 'go away' when I was running for governor the first time. I owe him, honey, and I won't betray anymore of his history to you. You'll just have to live with what you did, even though you did it with the best of intentions."

She slipped her rings back on and turned and walked out of the study. She needed to find out more about this mysterious 'Charles Windsor' if her son was going to marry his daughter.

* * *

Chateau Almandine  
June

Hannah and Su-Fi had driven into Paris to pick up Yve and her fiancee. Her husband was out of the country on Ringbusiness but would be returning the next day. His trip was all hush-hush and he'd taken Casey and Hugo with him plus his 'Sacramento Team'. When Hannah heard of his security arrangements, they had a 'confrontation'.

"Chuck, why are you going when it's obvious that it's an unsafe environment. You've never taken the Team with you except for…well, not in years. Why do you have to go? Panzer's your deputy and Ellie's baby isn't due for a month yet so that's not an excuse you can use. Send Hugo and Casey. Your presence is not needed."

"It's just a precaution. I'd take Su-Fi with me but with Yve coming, I don't want you handling all the arrangements by yourself. Besides, with the Team out with me, Su-Fi is additional security. We're meeting with the Far East Ring Consortium and hopefully we'll be able to 'mend fences'."

Their argument went on and on, back and forth until Chuck had finally had enough.

"Hannah, I'm going and that's final. I'll be back as soon as we can wrap up negotiations. Maybe I'll surprise Su-Fi and have Chai come back for a 'meeting'."

Both Hannah and Chuck had been surprised that Su-Fi had taken up with the 'Thai pig' shortly after the New Year's party. Given her loathing of anything Thai, it was a real shocker.

"Jzhuck, it's what you said before. The heart wants what the heart wants. I did not intend to fall in love with Chai but I did. It was not Le Click but he grew on me like moss on a stone…well, what more can I say?"

Hannah tried to warn her about long distance relationships but Su-Fi wouldn't listen. "I love him. He loves me. If I can overlook his being a Thai, why can't you?"

Huffing in frustration, Hannah had left the room. Su-Fi was so much like her father that it was scary.

Next: Wedding/Reunion/Epilogue

OM for APR


	28. Chapter 28

OK, maybe one more chapter. Got a problem I need to overcome first.

OM for APR

* * *

ChuckParis

Chapter 25

Four miles outside Korat, Thailand

Chai Vathanakul pulled his boss' body through the drainage ditch and into a culvert under the road. Their convoy had been ambushed and their vehicle hit in the engine compartment by an RPG and he'd just managed to grab his boss and drag him out of the Land Rover and into the ditch it was in before the Rover caught fire and exploded.

He'd been momentarily stunned by the RPG explosion but he had snapped out of his shock and pulled them both out in the nick of time.

He crawled out into the ditch again and pulled himself up the side of the ditch to get a status on the escorts. Both escort vehicles had met with the same fate and he could see several bodies lying on the road that led to the civilian airport.

Casey and the team had left an hour earlier but Chuck had stayed behind to finalize the arrangements for the new structure and to take a conference call from the US. Chai had offered to take him to the airport. He wanted to talk about Su-Fi and to get his blessing on his marriage proposal.

'_She'll never marry me now. She'll spend the rest of her life hunting down the vermin who did this. I'll be lucky if she doesn't kill me because it's my fault he's dead. I should have delayed the Colonel and Panzer. A larger convoy might have been able to overcome the attackers and reach safety. Yeah, his little Su-Fi will kill me for sure.'_

He crawled back down into the drainage ditch and into the culvert. They needed to stay hidden until well after dark. Then he would leave and find a phone and contact his people and have them pick him up. Him and his friend, the dead Director General of the CIS and the Ring.

He stopped and thought that through. No. He couldn't contact his people. There was a traitor in his organization. Someone had tipped off the hardliners in the Consortium about the rapprochement between the Far East and CIS-Central. That was the only explanation he could come up with. They'd have to extract themselves on their own.

He debated leaving the body behind and making his way to safety and then returning with a trusted force to recover it and return it home but given the temperature and the location, the body would be in horrible shape and he didn't want Su-Fi to have that image to carry around with her.

Sighing deeply, he tucked his broken arm into his shirt and crawled over to the body. The head was a mass of blood and the insects in the ditch had already discovered it. He tore off the sleeve of Chuck's shirt and used it to wipe the blood from his friend's face and head as best he could.

"Han-nah? 'zat you?" Chai almost dropped his friend's head when he spoke.

"No, Director, it is Chai. You've been hurt and we're currently on the run. We can hole up here until full dark but then we must leave and seek shelter. The Consortium thinks we're dead in the ambush. The Land Rover is toast and all my men…" He stopped. All his men were dead. His most trusted team.

"Casey dead? No! He – "

"No, Director. The Colonel and Panzer went on ahead. They are safe."

"Goo…" He either passed out or died. Chai wasn't sure which. He could hear a truck coming slowly down the road. It stopped at the ambush site. Perhaps it was the police? He fumbled for his weapon but couldn't reach it with his broken arm. He reached behind Chuck and took his.

"Windsor? Chai? Anyone?" Casey had taken in the ambush with a single professional glance and then went to the Land Rover that was still burning in the drainage ditch. Hugo and his men had established a loose perimeter and were checking for survivors.

Chai crawled out into the ditch and called for the Colonel. "Over here. The Director is – is dying. Hurry!"

* * *

Chateau Almandine  
15km southwest of Paris

Eleanor Panzer was used to getting calls at all hours of the night. She was the only doctor within miles and the small villages surrounding the Chateau and grounds had been encouraged to call with problems.

"Dr. Panzer."

"Eleanor, it's Hugo. There was an ambush on the way to the airport. The Director is in bad shape, in and out of consciousness. I think you and Hannah and Su-Fi had better plan on coming to Bangkok. We're going to head there from Korat as soon as the locals have him stabilized."

"Hugo, are you alright? And John? And Chai? I can't fly, my love. I'm too far gone and I can deliver anytime now. I'll have Hannah call with arrival times. Please take care, all of you."

She hung up and levered herself out of bed, cursing her swollen belly and general ungainliness but stopped and caressed her huge belly. "I didn't mean it, baby. Honest. Mommy's just worried about your uncle Chuck."

* * *

Royal Thai Regional Hospital  
Korat, Thailand

"Tell me you didn't call them and get them all riled up, Hugo? Jesus – Ellie's due any second and you laid that line of crap on her? Lemme outta this bed and I'm gonna kick your ass up around your neck."

"Chuck, the doctors here thought you were dying. They said you had a skull fracture. Would you rather Hannah not find out until after you're dead?"

He stopped and thought about it. "Yeah, because I'm not dying, you dickhead, and you got those women thinking I'm getting old and can't handle things anymore. Hannah's always going on about how my hands are worse than ever and the only saving grace is that I always put her on my deaf side. So, yeah, I wish you'd waited."

"Well then, I guess I'll cancel the flight out tonight for Paris since you want to 'get better' before facing Hannah and Eleanor."

"Definitely!" Then more softly than before, "How's Chai? I owe him big-time. Casey says he pulled me out of the fire. Where is he? I wanted to ask him to come back to Paris with me and see Su-Fi."

"He's running a purge of his operation, top to bottom. He's convinced that someone leaked the route and passengers. You know these people. Honor is everything. He's lost a lot of face because of this."

"It's probably not the best time to be out of town anyway. Damn! Tell you what. Call Su-Fi and tell her I need 'oversight' since we don't know who we can trust anymore and I'm going to stay here for a week or so and support Chai. Ask her – no – _tell_ her I need her. And then get Hannah on the phone and leave me alone to handle her, okay?"

* * *

Somewhere over India

"This is Su-Fi Windsor. Who calls?" She found that speaking 'stilted' English disarmed people and made it easier for her to deal with them.

"Sophie, it's Uncle Hugo. I need you to pack a bag and come to Korat. You father needs you, Sophie. He needs someone he can trust absolutely since Chai is busy with his own internal security problems. Will you come?" He laid it on thick but it proved unnecessary.

"Yes. Have someone trustworthy meet the CIS plane in four hours. My mother, Yve, Jeb Stuart and I are en route already. Is – is Jzhuck dying, Uncle Hugo?"

"No, Sophie, but he might wish to be after your mother is done with him."

"Let me worry about that. I will see you in 4 hours or so. Uncle Hugo, what of Director Vathanakul?"

"Broken arm but he saved the boss' life. Don't be too hard on him, Sophie. He did the best he could. There is a traitor in his ranks and he's lost a lot of face over this."

"Nonsense! He saved Jzhuck's life. There is no dishonor in that. Tell him, no, I will tell him myself. Have him at the airport if possible. Hannah will want to know exactly what happened and to thank him for his bravery."

"And you, little Sophie? Will you want to thank him."

"Uncle, do not be a butthead. We will be landing in four hours."

Su-Fi went forward and advised the pilots of their change in flight times and told them to make the necessary security arrangements for the aircraft in Korat. She was definitely her father's daughter.

* * *

Korat Airfield  
Korat, Thailand

The big Gulfstream taxied up to the private terminal and powered down. The stairs were lowered and the three Windsor women followed by Jeb Stuart stepped out into the humid afternoon sun. John Casey met them and took them through Customs and then into the terminal lounge for refreshments and a briefing on the situation.

Chai was sitting in the lounge nursing a soft drink and cursing his fate. Hannah would flay him alive and then Su-Fi would finish the job with her knives.

He was looking down at his shoes and wishing he'd never met Chuck Windsor. Life had been so simple back then.

His thoughts were disturbed by a warm body that plopped down in his lap and threw its arms around him and buried its face in his neck and started to cry, squeezing his neck and mumbling words he couldn't make out.

He recognized the scent immediately; her body wash and perfume made a very distinctive scent that always reminded him of Bougainvillea in bright sunlight.

"Su-Fi? He's alive, Su-Fi. Don't cry. You never cry, Su-Fi, never."

"I've never almost lost my lover before so shut up and let me be. I was so frightened, you Thai pig, that I would never see you again. You need constant watching, Chai, and I've decided that I will be your wife. Make the arrangements so that my family can attend while they are here."

"But Su-Fi, I haven't spoken to your father yet or…"

"Chai, don't you want to marry me? You said – "

"Oh, yes, Su-Fi, but there are traditions and conventions to be followed, you know that."

"Fuck tradition. I've decided to be a modern woman. Come, talk with Hannah and tell her the truth. She is iron under velvet and can handle the truth and will want to thank you. After we see to my Jzhuck, I will want to go to your apartment for a 'proper' thank you, my Thai pig. Your arm is the only thing broken, right?"


	29. Chapter 29

ChuckParis

One more chapter. Sorry it's taken so long. I'm still not certain just how to end it. It'll be a surprise to both of us, assuming there is one reader remaining. It's been a while.

Oldest Man

* * *

Chapter 26

Korat, Thailand

"You are too old to be running around the planet getting into trouble. Look at you! Look at you hands! You can't even hold a spoon today. Give me the spoon and I will massage your hands for you. Honestly, you're not 35 any more. You're too old for this and…and…and I want to grow old with you."

"Quit nagging at me. This was a fluke, a random act led by the remnants of the Old Far Eastern Division of the Ring. Now, tell me all about this announcement of Su-Fi's. She wants to marry Chai? No! She's too young for marriage. She's just a child. No. I forbid it!"

He threw down the spoon and tried to get out of bed. If Su-Fi would not come to him, then he would find her and drag her onto the plane and send her back to France.

He had no problem at all with Chai. If fact, he was toying with the idea of asking the young Asian man if he might consider an operational role in the Paris headquarters. Chuck and the others could see if he was ready for the Directorship in a few years.

Hannah placed the palm of her hand in the middle of Chuck's chest and easily kept him from getting out of bed. The doctors had already warned her of his concussion and the effects on his balance and mood. He was on a tear and the nurses wouldn't enter unless Hannah or Yve were present.

"Chuck, if you try to get out of this bed again I will have you restrained. You are endangering our lives with these childish actions. You have a severe concussion and if you add up all the times you've been knocked around, you're pushing the envelope on early dementia. Is that what you want for me? A husband who won't recognize his wife or children? A husband who won't be able to handle his own affairs? A widow by 45? Is it?"

He saw the tears and immediately calmed down. No, he didn't want any of that. What he wanted was his youth, his health and his vitality back. They'd been stolen from him by the damned thing in his head. He wasn't even 40 yet and he looked and felt much older.

* * *

"Jeb, look at me, please, mon cher. These are my parents and I love them. They live in a world far removed from yours and I am part of that world. Someday I hope to have my father's position with Circus Information Systems and that will mean living in France…"

"Your father almost dies in an assassination attempt and you want to be _him_ someday? No. If we marry, you will work in the US. We have career plans, Yve, plans we made together. You never said anything about living in France."

"_**If we marry?**_ We are engaged, Jeb, and we love each other…or are there limits to your love for me? Conditions? Your mother was once part of this life!"

"Step-mother. And she's out of the life. Sure, she's still carried on the CIA's books but she was an administrator…" He'd been shocked to learn that Sarah had been a CIA agent before becoming an administrator. He still didn't know that she 'administered' covert field operations.

Yve snorted and then quashed a laugh. Her Jeb was so innocent. Perhaps that was why she loved him. His naiveté was something she had encouraged until now. Now it was time to see the world as it really was.

"Get dressed and meet me in the restaurant. We are meeting Su-Fi and her boyfriend for breakfast. He's Thai but I don't hold it against him. He loves her and she loves him. The heart is a strange organ, Jeb. It finds its mate in the strangest people."

She caressed his cheek with her palm, smiling. He was all she had ever wanted in a man. The only thing he lacked was something she hoped he'd never find in himself: the killer instinct.

"After breakfast we'll go to the hospital and see my father. I'm surprised he isn't standing outside the door, banging on it with a fist, with Uncles Hugo and Casey backing him up."

* * *

Breakfast started out strained but everyone quickly found an equilibrium of sorts and soon they were all chattering away in either English or French as suited the mood of the speaker. Su-Fi and Yve went to the buffet for more fruit leaving the two men alone.

"So, Jeb, you and Yve are marrying in the US? That may be difficult for the director but I'm sure they've already thought it through. What do you think of the 'Windsor Women'? I don't know how Chuck keeps his sanity."

"All three are very beautiful and although they're adopted, Hannah seems to be a real mother to them. They take after their mother. Strong willed and beautiful."

Chai choked on his coffee. "Their mother? Oh, Jeb, you couldn't be more mistaken. Chuck is iron whereas Hannah is stainless steel in velvet. They all take after the Director although he wanted them to be 'ladies first' and to be far removed from the business."

Jeb stared at Chai as if he were speaking a foreign language. He continued on about the 'Windsor Women'.

"Su-Fi was his bodyguard while Yve pretended to be a bubble-head, is that the term? A bubblehead only interested in shoes and cars and clothes. She and Hannah were 'shopping buddies' although I don't think, to this day, that Hannah knew that Yve was always armed with a pistol or her knives. They all are experts in martial arts and firearms. Especially Su-Fi."

"Have you met the brother, Paul, Chai? Yve is very closed mouthed about her brother."

"Paul is a pilot and flies for the Circus Militia. He trained with the Legion Étagère in Lyon and with the US Army Aviation School. He is quite the accomplished helicopter pilot. Chuck is very proud of him although he worries because he flies instead of settling down with a good woman."

The sisters came back and the conversation switched to less personal topics until Su-Fi announced that, convention be damned, she and Chai were marrying the day Chuck was out of the hospital and could 'walk her down the aisle without falling on his butt'.

Jeb looked at Chai and mouthed 'I see what you meant,' while the two sisters prattled on about the wedding.

"Does Daddy know, Sophie? He thinks you're still a kid. He won't agree and he'll fight you tooth and nail over it. No offense, Chai, but my father still thinks of us all as the scrawny frightened children he and Hannah rescued from the slave pens, as you well know."

"My mind is made up. There is nothing he can do to change it." Su-Fi crossed her arms under her breasts, a defensive posture that no one could mistake for anything else.

"Ha! He can have Chai killed or worse. He is ruthless where we are concerned." She was kidding about Chai and watched Jeb's face for a reaction. It wasn't long in coming.

"Slave pens? Ruthless? No man can be considered 'ruthless' where the safety and well being of his family is concerned."

He turned to Su-Fi. "I have never met your father but my parents spoke of him often and not always in our presence, if you know what I mean. I was just a kid but I heard stories that made spy movies seem tame and boring. He's ruthless, yes, but more importantly, he's…a man who honors his commitments and puts family above all else. There is much to admire in him."

* * *

Chuck had dressed and was wandering around the hospital gardens until he found a nice bench to sit at. He leaned back and put his arms across the bench seat and soaked up the sun. He felt better already. Now if he could just maintain an inner calm when he met Jeb Stuart and then confronted Su-Fi.

"…don't care what you heard, Dad, I'm staying here with Yve. What kind of man runs from his responsibilities because he's on the fringe of possible danger? I'm staying here with Yve as long as she stays, period. Tell Mom to just 'get a grip'. I can hear her very clearly in the background. I'll be careful but I won't leave Yve and that's final!"

It was hard not to overhear the tall man's conversation. He was less than 3 meters away, screened from view by some tropic plants. _So that's Jeb? I think Yve's made a wonderful choice. Tell 'mom to get a grip'! How many times did I want to yell that in her face?_

The young man walked around the edge of the floral screen and was surprised to see a tall man with a bandage on the side of his head sitting in the sun. He gave a quick smile and a wave of the hand. Chuck waved him over to sit and introduced himself.

"Hello, I'm Charles and I'm hiding from my keepers. My family is wandering around here someplace trying to find me, most likely. My wife thinks I'm suffering from 'early onset of dementia' and will probably put me in one of those 'leash things' you see kids wearing in the malls."

"Jeb Stuart. I'm sure it's not that bad. It's nice to meet a fellow American this far from home. Accident?" he gestured towards Chuck's bandage.

Chuck hesitated before answering. He decided that the truth would tell him more about the young man than any investigative report he'd read.

"Someone tried to kill me. Blew up our SUV on the way to the airport in an ambush. My friend and associate dragged me out before the truck exploded and got us out alive. Since you two are going to be in-laws, you should also know that I'm considering appointing him as my deputy and probable successor."

Jeb's jaw dropped but then his protective instincts kicked in. _This was Yve's father!_

"But that's the job Yve wants. It's all she talks about – taking your place when you retire. She's worked so hard to get where she is and you just can't dash her hopes like that. She's not some 'bubblehead' who's only interested in shoes and shopping! She's beautiful and smart and she's a Windsor Woman and will do a better job than anyone else!"

"Got you wrapped around her little finger, huh? Well, she could have done a lot worse. At least you're smart enough not to get in her way. She's a lot like Hannah, steel under all that softness. I suppose your parents think she's a, what did you call her? A 'bubblehead'?"

"Oh, no. That's just what Chai called her at breakfast…I mean, said that people thought of her as that because she only cared about being her mom's shopping buddy."

Chuck snorted a laugh. "Yeah, that's her cover, all right. I doubt that anyone who tried to mess with Hannah would have survived long enough to wonder how the airhead transformed into Conan the Barbarian. Oh, Jeb, the look on your face! I've known about Yve's alter-ego for years; she thinks she's so cool…"

They both looked for the source of the voice calling 'Chuck'. Chuck looked over at Jeb and said, "Our secret." He got up and walked rapidly away, farther into the garden and away from the hospital.

'_So that's the famous 'Chuck'. Man, Dad's sure got a funny way of picking out friends.' _He tried to imagine the former 2-term governor of Virginia mixing it up socially with Chuck. He laughed but the sobered up quickly at the sight of a worried Hannah.

"Jeb, Chuck's gone for a walk, damn him! Have you seen a tall man with a bandage on his temple?"

"Yeah, he's down there somewhere. He seemed okay when we talked. He never told me who he was and I didn't know he was a patient. He was wearing street clothes not a gown…"

"We had words and the next thing I knew he was gone. Damn him. He goes into one of his famous funks and walks around. No doubt I'll find him on a bench in the sun. It's where he does his best thinking. Yve and her sister are waiting in the room. She's probably thinking that your phone call has you upset. Go find her, Jeb. She's a bundle of nerves."

* * *

She found him exactly where she thought he'd be, sitting on a bench in the sun, his arms stretched out over the back and his legs sprawled out in front of him. She was quiet in her approach, not wanting to startle him if he was deep in thought or waken him if he was dozing.

Then she remembered why she was in the garden in the first place and she decided 'to hell with it' and walked quietly behind the bench and then stuck her tongue in his ear and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He didn't twitch or even startle…for a moment she thought he might be dead but suddenly she found herself flying over him and landing in his lap where he clutched her struggling body to him, pinning her arms against him.

He proceeded to suck hard on her neck and give her a hickey she'd later beat him for and then worked at her ear, knowing full well that she'd respond to him as if someone had thrown her 'horny switch'.

"Damn you, Chuck, you're in no condition to have the kind of sex you've made me want – hot, hard and fast, right here, right now."

He whispered in her ear, between nips and nibbles, "there's a bench in that glade right behind us. No one will see us and if you can refrain from screaming when I make you come, no one will hear us, either."

They got back to the hospital room 45 minutes later. Yve eyed her mother and covered a smirk with her hand but no one else seemed to notice that her skirt was wrinkled and that the left-side zipper was not on the right or that she had a look on her face that fairly shouted "I just had the most fabulous..." The look on Chuck's face wouldn't have fooled anyone.


	30. Chapter 30

First off, apologies abundant. I think Oldest Man has been [gasp] banned from FF. I cant use the doc manager and I get no emails or alerts through FF and so sorry but I think I've been banned. RottenAppleofEducation got me on a PM but nothing at all since Thursday so don't think I've APR'd y'all or anything drastic. I can't even get tech support- I get a 'email not properly installed'.

So, this is my latest offering of APR's finishing works. Hey, I've even hacked away at the clone thing and got them down to manageable size. I want to keep Jules but yech on the rest of them.

Oldest Man for APR

* * *

Chapter27

Korat, Thailand

Su-Fi stared at Chuck and then, for one of the few times that he could remember, she started to cry. She stepped away from where he sat in his hospital room and it was more than the distance between then that separated them.

"I – I will marry whom I please and when I please. You are not my father and I am of legal age. I had, we had, hoped for your blessing but I can see that it is not to be. I hope you fully recover, Jzhuck, and that good fortune finds you always."

He watched his daughter walk out of his life and felt his heart break. He only wanted what was best for her. He only wanted her to be happy and successful. He'd only asked that she wait a year before marrying Chai but she'd refused, hurling her last words in his face.

Chuck massaged his temples trying to ease the killer headache he'd suddenly developed. _Why is it so hard to do the right thing?_

Hannah intercepted Su-Fi the moment she stepped out into the hall and not so gently led her to an alcove for some privacy. They were about to have a terse and overdue mother-daughter chat.

Whatever she intended to say was lost when Su-Fi threw her arms around her mother and started to sob and gasp for breath. In all the years they'd been a family she could count on one finger the number of times her daughter had needed her mother, and **this was that one** time. It had always been her Jzhuck that she'd run to, never Hannah.

"Why won't he listen? Why is he being…being so mean?"

"He only wants what's best for you. We talked earlier and he was dead-set against any marriage for you, especially to someone you hardly know, Sophie, but he did 'mellow out' and agreed to ask you to delay things until you were both certain of your feelings. Sophie, you're young and impressionable and we both feel that you're diving into something as serious as marriage without really knowing each other."

"You and Jzhuck hardly knew each other either and you've been very happy together until you started going on Militia jobs and then he got so lonely. I don't want that life for me. I will not abandon my husband for my own purposes. I love you both and I have learned so much from you both but I _will_ marry Chai with or without your blessing!"

"You will break your father's heart if you go ahead with this and don't at least wait a few months before – "

"He is not my father!"

The slap that followed stung her. In all the years they'd been together, neither her Jzhuck nor Hannah had ever laid a hand on any of the children. She was stunned and drew herself up to her full height and started to leave when Hannah grabbed her by her arm and pulled her back.

"_He is __so__ your father!" _Hannah had never been so angry with any of her children as she was at that moment with Sophie. "He adopted you and loved you and sacrificed so much for you and this…this is how you repay him for his love? If you walk away from him, if your turn your back on him, don't ever come back, Sophia Windsor, don't ever come back."

Hannah pushed Su-Fi aside and strode angrily down the corridor to her husband's room, wiping tears from her eyes with the backs of her hands. She stopped just outside his room to compose herself and then walked in and closed the door. She felt horrible for what she said and needed to tell her husband about it.

Su-Fi sat in the alcove, trying unsuccessfully to stop crying. She was startled when Jeb handed her a handkerchief and sat down on the tile floor beside her.

"If it makes any difference, I had a similar conversation with _my_ dad. My mom's okay with Yve and I getting married but my dad has all kinds of reservations and concerns. You're not the only one facing 'parental disapproval'. I know that doesn't mean much but you're not alone in this. You can always talk with Yve or me about things."

She looked up at him with teary eyes and said, "You heard?" He nodded. "It was hard not to. Yve is in with your folks now trying to settle your mom down. I'm sure Mrs. Windsor never meant things to spiral out of control like that."

"You don't know Hannah. She meant it. In all my years with them, since being brought out of the camps, neither of them ever touched me in anger or inappropriately. Never – until today. I don't know what to do, Jeb."

* * *

Strangely enough, on the other side of the world, a similar conversation was taking place in the Stuart household. Sarah was clearly on the side of the young couple whereas her husband was struggling with accepting the marriage. He was afraid of his wife's reaction to the bride's parents at the wedding – specifically, the bride's father, but he couldn't say anything.

"Mike, you're being totally unreasonable, totally! Jeb and Yve are going to get married whether you approve of it or not. Is it…is it a racial thing?" She threw out the Race Card hoping he would trump it with the real reason behind his stubbornness.

"You _know_ I don't care about race. It's the 21st century, Sarah, not the 19th." His face was stony as he tried to think of a way to say, '_Charles Windsor is Charles Bartowski and I'm afraid you'll hate me and leave me for lying to you all these years_.'

Instead, he said, "My son is in Thailand with his girlfriend visiting her father who was injured when someone tried to kill him. Don't you think that's reason enough to have reservations about this marriage? Suppose someone decides to kidnap his daughter for leverage and they end up killing Jeb to do it? Have you thought about what might happen to my son?"

She hadn't, really. Sarah knew that he was right to be concerned but not at the cost of losing Jeb from their lives.

"I was sitting right here when you two had your argument on the phone, Mike. Jeb's an adult and we can't live our son's life for him. As much as we'd like him to find a 'girl next door' who came from a normal family, it's still his decision. He loves her and he'll marry her with our without our approval."

"That's so damned easy for you to say, Sarah. He's not _your_ son." Her eyes narrowed and if he'd known 'Sarah Walker, CIA Agent' in her prime, he'd know just how much he'd hurt her and how badly she wanted to hurt him.

"That's it! I'm going to Thailand." Fifteen minutes later she was out the door and on her way to the airport. She'd worry about what she left behind some other time…like in a year or two. _How dare he throw that in my face!_

Mike sat at the kitchen table for a few minutes and then made a call. He explained the situation and was told 'do nothing; it will be handled'.

Sarah made it through ticketing and TSA security but was stopped at the gate by two uniformed TSA personnel who were much too well-built and military-looking to be true and 'escorted' through a series of doors, down a long corridor and into a small windowless room furnished with a metal table and two chairs on opposite sides.

She was 'asked' to seat herself and then the door was closed and she heard the distinct sound of the metal locking mechanism engaging. There was no doorknob on her side.

She dug her ringing cell phone from her purse, expecting it to be Mike but it wasn't.

"Director Stuart, take a look around. Take away the table and chairs and substitute a bunk with a thin mattress and a stainless steel toilet and sink combination in the corner. That will be your future if you don't turn around and go home to your husband."

"Gen-General Beckman, you can't be serious! This is my family you're screwing with!"

"And it's _my _family you're going to destroy! Jeb and Yve are in good hands. They're going to marry and become one of the most powerful couples on Earth. Your husband has 'seen the light', Sarah. Go home. Listen to him. He had no idea how deeply involved he was in the Great Game. Where do you think those pictures of you came from? Me. He did it all to protect the woman he loved. Are you willing to throw that all away just like you did in Burbank?"

"I – I don't understand. I – "

"Of course you don't, Sarah. You're not supposed to."

The call died and she heard the 'click' of the locking mechanism and the door swung inwards. She grabbed her purse and walked out into the terminal and then to her car.

She didn't know which she dreaded more: not knowing or knowing.


	31. Chapter 31

I am almost finished with this or perhaps it's almost finished with me. Either way, one maybe two chapters and it's fini.

OM

* * *

The private business jet eased off the runway on its way home. The 10 passengers and crew probably breathed a collective sigh of relief at putting Thailand and its dangers behind them – all but two of the passengers.

"I shouldn't have slapped her, Chuck, but she made me so damned mad…" Hannah was still beating herself up over the incident with Su-Fi.

"I know, honey, and it's going to bother you for a long time but at least we got her to agree to delay her wedding for a few months. Maybe things will change in her world after Yve and Jeb get married. Y'know, we may have to have the wedding at the Chateau. Yve mentioned overhearing Jeb and Su-Fi talking after you slugged her. They both have parental 'issues' to contend with."

"What? That – that - blonde Barbie Doll of an ex-handler of yours doesn't think our Yve's good enough for him?" She bristled and he smiled but was quick to correct her. It would be bad enough once they confronted one another and he didn't want to increase the 'wrath of Hannah' any more than was necessary regarding Sarah Walker Stuart.

"Nope, not Sarah, but her husband. I'm not sure I understand things but I suspect that he's worried that he never told her just who Charles Windsor really is…or was. Bartowski's dead, Hannah, and Chuck Windsor loves his wife more than anything. Whatever he felt for Walker died with him in that café all those years ago."

"I know but I still feel jealous and a little threatened. Chuck, I have a confession to make…every year we get a card from the Stuarts at Christmas time and every year I throw it away. I always compared me to her picture and I didn't want you to have a 'visible' reminder of what you left behind. I'm sorry."

"I'm not. You worry too much, Hannah. Remember I warned you about getting all wrinkled and then I'll have to find a new 'Windsor woman'…"

She punched him in the arm, hard, and glared at him in mock anger.

* * *

Bangkok Airport  
Departure Lounge

"Come, Chai, let's go. They're in the air and on their way back to Paris. I agreed to delay our marriage for 3 months but I didn't agree to not being with you for 3 months so you can forget about finding me a 'suitable' apartment. I'm staying with you."

"But, Su-Fi, the director specifically instructed you to have an apartment…"

"Fine. We'll rent a one room apartment over some bar and your honor will be intact." She looked up at him with those huge brown eyes and he felt himself falling into her eyes and her trap but was helpless to do anything about it other than to agree with anything she said.

"Of course, of course. Honor is preserved, propriety is maintained and I get a cook and cleaning lady as well as a playmate. Excellent thinking, my love."

She addressed him as if her were a servant. "I do not cook. I do not clean." She turned away and walked rapidly out to the SUV that was part of their 'convoy', another of her father's demands.

"Su-Fi, please, baby, I was just…"

"I do, however, play and mate, my Thai pig. Come, Chai, don't dawdle. You have much to teach me and I have much to learn. If my father asks, my apartment is adequate and I'm spending time learning new skills from a Thai master. That way you won't have to lie to him."

For the hundredth time since New Year's he asked himself why he'd ever gotten involved with Su-Fi Windsor. And every time he asked, the answer was always the same. _Because I love her, may Buddha help me find my path._

He didn't know if he could survive until the wedding.

* * *

Things were tense in the Stuart household. With Megan away on a trip with friends to the Jersey Shore it was just the two of them. Any other time that would be fine but not now. Not with what lay between them like a crevasse in the glacier that had become their marriage.

Mike tried to talk with her but she just listened and then left whatever room they happened to be in. She was sleeping in Megan's room and avoiding all contact with her husband. The conversation with Beckman had burned a hole in her soul and she was so damned angry at being played all those years.

Intellectually, she knew that Mike was as much a victim as she was, probably more so since he actually believed that his political opponents had leaked the photos of her and her marks in various stages of undress and sexual poses to the media. Now she knew the truth and felt betrayed by the very government she'd served without hesitation or reservation.

She lay curled up in her stepdaughter's bed, her head covered with a comforter to muffle the sound of her sobs. She cried for the life she might have had if only she'd faced her fears and stayed with her Burbank Nerd.

Sometime between wakefulness and sleep she made up her mind. She would resign from the Agency and file for divorce immediately after Jeb's wedding. She was going to live the rest of her life as she willed it, not as the Intel Combine dictated.

* * *

Three months later

Yve and Jeb Stuart had planned a simple wedding but it soon grew as more and more guests were added either because of family or political expediency on both sides of the aisle.

For Chuck, it was both political and social. All the heads of Circus Information Systems branches would be in attendance at a special 4-day meeting to be held before the wedding. Chuck had sent a personal communiqué to each of the directors inviting them but stressing that the wedding was not to be used to further any personal agendas.

Various defense officials from countries the Militia had worked with were also invited as were several potential clients. It never hurt to be nice.

The Stuart family was going to arrive that evening, a week in advance, and Hannah had insisted that they stay at the Chateau. She had her reasons although Chuck suspected it was just to ensure that she maintained her usual rigid control over the planning and event.

Su-Fi and Chai were also coming in early and Chuck looked forward to testing the waters with Chai about possibly relocating to the headquarters in Paris. He needed a 'perpetuation plan' and both Yve and Chai were critical to his plan and 'line of succession'.

Paul had flown in (of course) and was spending time with his Uncle Casey out on the Ro-Ro and trying to wheedle his way into a berth in the Militia since he was a contract flier for the Legion and wanted the action the Militia seemed to offer.

The stage was set. The players had their marks.

* * *

Charles DeGaulle International Airport

They walked through Customs courtesy of the escort from CIS as well as their passports. No bags were checked. Not for this party. Their escort had been specifically briefed on the route to take back from the airport and there were to be no deviations.

"This way, please. Our car is out front and we will take the scenic route to the Chateau. Your son and future daughter are waiting to greet you as are the other members of the Director General's family. He, unfortunately, will not be in residence until a few days before the wedding. It is the annual branch meeting and all members of the Directorate are required to attend and report. It is our 'State of the Union' meeting."

They passed by the American embassy where Stuart had met the Director for the first time and traced the path they'd walked so many years ago and slowed but didn't stop at the Café Lafayette. Sarah's eyes watered and her husband squeezed her hand but she ignored him, concentrating on what she knew was a deliberate tracing of events important to both of them.

The limo slowed and stopped at a small street probably too narrow for the limo to pass and the driver got out and walked toward an older mansard-roofed three-story building.

"C'est là où le directeur avait une petite guerre avec les hommes qui ont enlevé sa famille."

"Michael, this is where Shaw was killed when he kidnapped Windsor's family!" She couldn't imagine the firefight that must have broken out and she shivered remembering some of her own close calls but not against such odds and for such precious stakes…

The driver returned a few moments later, escorting a young Eurasian woman of perhaps 20. He opened the door and she slid into the seat opposite the Stuarts and introduced herself in fluid English with just the hint of a French accent.

"I am Su-Fi Windsor although most simply call me 'Sophie' and I answer to either. Only my father calls me Su-Fi. It is a pleasure to meet you both. Your son is a most welcome addition to our family. He is very…" and here she seemed to be searching for a word before saying," Il est très compréhension et de sympathie à notre sort" in French.

Sarah asked, "What plight do you both have?" Both she and Mike both spoke French but with none of the fluency the young woman spoke with.

Su-Fi glanced out the window and then replied sadly, "Neither of our families wishes us to marry our own true love for whatever reason. My father feels I am far too young to be making such a commitment while you seem to think that my sister is somehow inferior or not good enough for your son."

'_She is certainly her father's daughter,' _Mike Stuart thought. _'She calls a spade a spade and cuts right through the crap.'_

Before either of the Americans could respond, Su-Fi turned to the driver and lowered the privacy shield.

"Pilote, veuillez le retourner au Café Lafayette et de l'arrêter pour quelques minutes." Su-Fi asked the driver to return to the Café Lafayette. She had a point to make.

The limo pulled up and stopped on the street beside the open air Café and Su-Fi turned to the Stuarts in an almost lecture-mode.

"Several years ago my father and grandfather met for the first time at that table," she pointed to the table beside the wall with the floral sconces, "and my grandfather, Jacques asked my Jzhuck for a favor but before he could do it, he was shot down by an assassin's bullet."

Sarah had tears in her eyes and the image she saw was from years ago, not the one being described.

"My grandfather's men took Jzhuck into the limousine and found my mother walking in the rain. They were lovers then and have been ever since. My mother knew my father less than a week before she knew he was her 'forever after' and they would have been married a year later except… Pilote, de le château s'il vous plaît. J'ai retardé notre clients suffisamment."

Su-Fi turned to the driver and rattled off some instructions and the limousine moved out into traffic and out of the city.

"Except what, Sophie?" Sarah wanted to know what happened.

"He and my Uncle Hugo were traveling to South America and they became separated. My Uncle returned by my Jzhuck did not. A ransom was paid but apparently they had no intention of returning my father to my mother and France. He was 'rescued' by forces loyal to my father but he suffered terribly. He still has dreams, and pain but he 'soldiers on'. He wears gloves to hide his worst injuries and a hearing aide."

Sarah's image of the mysterious Charles Windsor changed from a vibrant man in his 40s to a crippled man, bent and in pain. She never made the connection between Windsor and Cold Storage.

Su-Fi looked out the window and kept her own counsel. Chai was staying in Paris to attend the meetings and would stay at the apartment. She would meet him there as opportunities arose. The 16km drive to the Chateau only took 40 minutes in the traffic.

* * *

Hannah was nervous about meeting the 'Blonde Barbie'. She had changed outfits several times and finally decided 'to Hell with them' and opted for comfortable clothes. With nothing more to do, she found Yve and Jeb in the garden having a 'discussion'. She walked behind some shrubs and blatantly eavesdropped.

"My father does not hold you responsible for the actions of your stepmother, Jeb, so why do you keep bringing it up? He tried to protect your family even as his own was in peril. I do not understand why learning what Circus is and does changes how you perceive my father."

"It changes my perception of what _you_ want, Yve. I don't know if I like the idea of you eventually running an organization that has so many enemies. I love you and worry about you. Your father is not my issue, Yve. Your safety is."

"All that happened years ago and the world has changed, my love. It is not so dangerous and what happened in Thailand will probably never happen again. That was the last gasp of a dying faction."

She kissed him and soon things began to escalate just as she'd planned they would and Hannah coughed loudly and then walked around the hedges and smiled at the couple.

"Jeb, you and Yve should freshen up. Your parents will be here soon. Yve, your sister is coming in with them. Take some time and talk with her. She won't take my calls."

"She gets her stubbornness from you, Mother. Perhaps if you put yourself in her shoes and looked at it from her perspective…"

"She insulted your father and dishonored all he's done for her…"

"Ah, the Terrible Secret comes into play. Mother, she adores her Jzhuck and thinks of him as her hus…"

"THAT will never be spoken of outside of the family. And the issue is her marriage at such a young age to a man she barely knows…"

"Mother, that is so hypocritical considering your history with Daddy. Really, that's probably what has pissed off Little Sister – your double standard. She's older than 18 in both experience and maturity. Daddy just doesn't want her to make a mistake, that's all."

* * *

4 days later

The last meeting had adjourned and Chuck and Chai were finishing off a tumbler of good Irish whiskey. He'd broached his plan for a line of succession and, as expected, was met with an enormous amount of disagreement. No one wanted him to resign his post and no one wanted to offer suggestions as to what alternatives there were.

"Face it, Chuck, you're stuck with the job. Director Dubois tried on several occasions to resign and you saw what happened then. If it's time you wish, delegate more. Let Casey and Panzer run the Militia and just sit up here and make the hard calls."

"Let's head out to the Chateau. Casey and Panzer have left messages to the effect that 'tensions run high'."

* * *

Orly Airport  
Northwest of Paris

Megan Stuart had been unable to make the same flight as her parents. She'd been backpacking in the Grand Canyon. Now she stood in the airport wondering what to do next. She had a phone number to call if there were 'difficulties' but she didn't know if being 'lost' was one. Her flight had been diverted from Charles DeGaulle to Orly and her 'ride' was noticeably absent.

Sighing in frustrated embarrassment, she started to dial the 'emergency contact number' and was startled when someone said, "Miss Stuart? I'm Henri and I'm here to collect you. We were informed that your flight had been diverted due to 'mechanical issues' and so here we are. Shall we go?"

He took Megan by the elbow and led her out to where a car waited at the curb. The driver got out, smiled and waved her towards the open passenger door. She slipped in and the man closed the door and went back to the trunk and stowed her luggage and then got in and the trio drove away.

Megan yawned and laid her head back against the headrest and decided a nap was in order since she'd been in the air almost 8 hours counting the change in London. The passenger turned and looked at her and removed the breathing device from his mouth and opened the windows to flush out the gas he'd released the instant they'd donned their breathers and pulled away from the curb.

"We've got her," he spoke into a cell phone and then nodded to his partner who turned off the highway and drove south to the vineyard country. The gas would last long enough that the girl wouldn't be a problem.

A/N: I promise to finish this one next. Not a lot of sand in the hour glass.


	32. Chapter 32

OK, obviously I am not APR although I do take great pleasure in knowing that I guilted him into publishing and that I also ghost wrote some of his stuff when he was too sick to keep his promises.

Blame Edgar Alan Dickens, a broke-dick Canuck squid and JayToyz, a purveyor of condoms in HUGE sizes for dragging me out of my sickbed and forcing me...yes, forcing me, to finish some of this crap that the Ape started and also some of my own stuff.

I will finish them, just not that fikkin' clone thing. Nay, not even with JayToyz protctive wrappers round my mind.

Oldest Man Nowhere in Mexico

* * *

[**Chuck and his best bud Chai are in a limo on their way to the Chateau whilst Sarah and her husband and Su-Fi are in a comparable limo driving down memory lane. The wedding is in two days.**

Chai Vathanakul disconnected the cell phone call he received, crossed over to a bench seat in the limo opposite his boss, Charles Windsor, and smiled.

"Chuck, you are my friend and mentor and I have a great deal of respect and admiration for you. Add that I hope to marry your daughter, Su-Fi, whenever you decide she's of age, and you can see why my actions will seem rather – ungrateful."

Chuck was leaning back in the leather seat and massaging his left hand, not really paying any attention to his surroundings. The ache had begun shortly after he'd awakened and he really needed Hannah's 'magic touch' to relieve the cramping and deep aches. He forgot all about his aching hand when he saw Chai pull a small silenced pistol from beneath his suit coat.

"Let me guess. You've decided that being groomed as my heir apparent is not enough and you've decided to advance the time table on your own, right?" Chuck fumbled around in his pocket and hit the speed dial on his cell phone and then removed a small pill bottle, popped the top one-handed with practiced ease and dry-swallowed two of the small pain pills.

"To the point, as usual, Director. Yes. Now, no harm will come to you or your family if you follow my simple instructions. Oh, and don't think for one moment that Hugo Panzer or Colonel Casey will ride out of the trees like the cavalry and save you. They have been…permanently delayed and will hopefully be the only casualties."

"Why did you bother to save me when we were ambushed, Chai? You were already my designated replacement should I have died."

"I was not sure of my place in your plans, Chuck, and besides, how would it look to Su-Fi if I let her father die and I survived almost unscathed? No, the ambush was premature and those who planned and executed it have paid the ultimate price."

* * *

Su-Fi answered her cell with a smile but it faded away when she heard what was being said in her father's limousine.

She turned around in her seat and banged on the privacy window and told the driver to pull over and stop the car and alert the Chateau that the Director was in trouble and to be on the alert for treachery.

John Casey answered his cell and saw that it was a 'family conference call' and listened intently to what was being said. He alerted the reaction platoon on rotation at the Circus Militia barracks outside the Chateau gardens to 'quietly' disarm the security force and to take over defense of the Chateau and await further orders.

"Paul, can you fly that thing?" He pointed to a Puma light transport helicopter near the barracks helipad.

"Yep. Got over a hundred hours in one just like it. Is it armed? We'll need a squad of troopers for ground security if we have to go head to head with anyone."

"Got a squad coming from the barracks. Let's suit up and get airborne. There's no telling how this is going to play out. Your dad's got a wicked sense about these things."

Hugo Panzer had his back to the door as he and Ellie ate a leisurely dinner after feeding and changing their daughter and putting her in the bassinette beside the small garden table. He glanced out over the gardens and noticed that several members of the Militia were 'escorting' the regular security staff away and that one of the Militia took his place.

He quietly stood and walked into their Chateau quarters and made a phone call and then armed himself and sat down beside his wife. He trusted the militia men but was prepared to defend his family against any harm. Su-Fi had alerted the family to possible treachery and he trusted her judgment.

Hannah and Yve and Jeb were talking about the wedding, seeing if there were any final arrangements that might need to be attended to when her cell rang as did Yve'. Both women listened intently and then Hannah jumped up and ran to a cabinet and pulled out three MAT-10 machine pistols.

Yve was standing behind her mother while Jeb sat on the settee, stunned by the sudden change in his fiance and her mother. "Jeb, come here. There is a security problem, my love, and it is being handled but for now, take this and protect yourself."

She turned to Hannah and smiled but it wasn't her usual loving smile. This was the smile of a tigress protecting her cubs, and for now, her mother and Jeb were her cubs. Hannah was a wild card in the equation and Jeb, well, she'd given him the pistol more to show that she respected him as a man, and not because she expected him to of any use in a firefight.

"Daddy will be fine, Mother. He has plans within plans like concentric circles. All we need to do is follow the lock-down procedures and we'll be fine. I'm sure Daddy's got the situation well in hand. After all, he is a former NSA agent as well as the Ring Director General."

Hannah flinched in surprise and looked at Yve. "How long have you known? It's not something bandied about. How do you know?"

"Why, Daddy told me and Su-Fi when we went to Thailand. We are his daughters and he felt it was time to 'come clean'. It's not as if he betrayed Grandpapa. He was always 'up front' with him. I have much to learn from him before taking control of the Ring."

Hannah just shook her head. Her husband was a trusting fool but not where his family was concerned. He must have a reason for telling his daughters his history. It was risky, of course, given Su-Fi's rebellion and then the problems that arose between her and her daughter over Jeb.

A/N: Short but then so is time. Will finish it. I got plans to be at the pyramid on 21Dec2012 to watch the world end as we know it. Might be fun.


End file.
